Soy or Estoy?

Question

Another learning Spanish site told me to say "Soy pobre" but "Estoy enferma." I am confused; I am poor. I am sick. Why two different "I am's"?

Answer 1

ser - permanent or long term/ estar - temporary

Yes, i know, we just like to complicate things for anglo-saxon speakers (not just english)

Darn Spanish speakers. I bet you made your language hard and confusing on purpose just so other people would be get confused. - psyche_of_frogs, Jun 7, 2010

Sorry about that! it's only to make you guys concentrate a little more! ha ha ha - julianPdC, Jun 7, 2010

Answer 2

The link was a great help! Thanks!

Answer 3

Like julianPdC said, ser is for permanent and estar is for temporary. You'll probably only be sick for a few days, so estar works better for "enfermo" because sickness is not something permanent. While I guess you could theoretically get out of poverty and not be permanently poor, you use ser with pobre because "poor" is a quality that doesn't really change from one day to the next, especially not as much as being sick would. Hope that clears it up more!

Yes, thank you for your help! - Neffgirl, Jun 7, 2010

Answer 4

Please refer this link

Yes, this is a great link! Thank you....Gracias! - Neffgirl, Jun 7, 2010

Answer 5

There was a thread on this just recently. Read this and you will be enlightened. link

Yes, this is a great link! Thank you....Gracias! - Neffgirl, Jun 7, 2010