Él está viejo y enfermo

Question

Is "Él es viejo, y está infermo." more correct? - because he will always be old but maybe not always ill. Or are they both correct?

Answer 1

They both sound correct to me.

Él es viejo is more of a CID usage in that he is an old person rather than he is a young or middle aged person.

Él está viejo emphasisizes the use as an adjective imbuing him with the attributes of an older person (less physical stamina, decreased senses, waning abilities-God, I love getting old)

Another example of when the permanent/temporary argument does not work.

Is somebody having a senior moment? :-) - Izanoni1, SEP 28, 2009

Answer 2

It is really very common to hear the following conversation: "Hola, ¿cómo está tu papá?". "Está viejo y enfermo"

Answer 3

Isn't "viejo" also Mexican slang for "dude"?

Qué onda, viejo!

Answer 4

Él está viejo sounds better to me.

Answer 5

...está viejo y enfermo is the more common phrase

Answer 6

Samdie...yea for me, he'd be viejo, period. El es viejo, enfermo, y tambien un poco feo. LOL

Answer 7

Es is correct to say for being old because being old is a permanent condition and being sick (usually) is not.

Answer 8

@Richaro...Depends on where you are! Where I am, I'd call my papi viejo. Como esta, viejo? When I see that fat guy, yo le digo a el, Que bola, gordo? That's just here. I don't know what particular style of speech others use from other places.

I have heard elders be referred to (affectionately) as "viejo" as well. - Izanoni1, SEP 28, 2009

I have also heard overweight children affably called "gordito" before, but it always seemed somewhat passive aggressive to me - Izanoni1, SEP 28, 2009

In several hispanic countries we refer to mom and dad as "viejo-a" - RicardoP, SEP 28, 2009

Es columbiano, si? - ChamacoMalo, SEP 28, 2009

Where I grew up (the south) we used "old woman, old man" as a term of affection as well. You were in the family typically. - Jason7R, SEP 28, 2009

Answer 9

To me, "está viejo" sounds just as odd as "está joven". (Es decir no me suenan, ni pizco.)