Estan, Estas and se. What is the difference?

Question

In the sentence ¿Están vivas estas hojas? Sí, están vivas. and the sentence ¿Estas personas están vivas? Sí están vivas.
- why isn't Estas where Están is?
-Or better yet, what is the grammatical difference in the two?
- Are they interchangeable? Why or why not?

Well with se, I am wondering why it is in the sentence Ella se está estirando. and not in Ella está durmiendo or in Ella está bostezando. What is its purpose on the sentence?

Please help...i know I am asking tons of questions...but I really want to learn this thank you.

Answer 1

Estar is one form of saying "to be" in Spanish. Están means "they are" in Spanish and "estás" means "you are (informal)". "Estas", however, means "these" when you are talking about feminine nouns, like las sillas or las ventanas. Otherwise it would be estos if you are talking about masculine nouns. "Se" is used for when you have a reflexive verb. Sometimes they can be literally translated and sometimes not. A reflexive verb is when the thing that does the action also receives the action, like "he saw himself". The verb "to see oneself" is reflexive. One way this does make sense in Spanish is with divertir and divertirse. Divertir means to entertain, and divertirse means to entertain oneself or have fun. That's just the basics, however, and I strongly advise that you check out the Learn section of this site for more information on estar and reflexive verbs.For more information on estar, click [here] (http://www.spanishdict.com/learn/show/12). For more information on reflexive verbs, click [here] (http://www.spanishdict.com/learn/show/22).

Answer 2

Hola. You definitely need to work your way through the lessons offered on this site

In answer to your questions:

estás (notice the accent) = are

estas (no accent) = these

The two words are not interchangeable.

The verb for to stretch is what is called a reflexive verb. It requires the reflexive pronouns.

Se está estirando. She is stretching (herself).

The other verbs that you mentioned are not reflexive.

I'm afraid that in isolation, this information may not be of much help to you. Do use the learning tool, and then as questions come up, keep asking!

Wé're glad that you have joined Spanishdict.

I am glad to have joined also! It helps when others are helpful especially when you are totally lost :) - catarine, May 19, 2010

Answer 3

¿Están vivas estas hojas? Sí, están vivas. ¿Estas personas están vivas? Sí están vivas.

You really do need to avail yourself of the lessons here so you can get a handle on stuff like this, because it is basic words being used that you will have to understand.

For now: Están = they are, using the verb estar
estas = these (notice, no accent on the 'a')

Where would I find the lessons? - catarine, May 19, 2010

Answer 4

Thank you all for your help

Answer 5

Sweety, the place for this is here: SpanishDict.com/learn

Once you've had some Spanish lessons these things will make sense to you.