please explain esta',esta, es

Question

Please explain esta', esta, es, in the childest way so a 5 year old can understand give tips for understanding it also.

Answer 1

I'm not fluent, but this is my best attempt at explanation:

está (alt + 160, for the accent) is the 3rd person singular form of the verb "estar." As in, Ella está enferma. (She is sick).

esta is the feminine way of saying "this." As in "Esta carpeta es azul." (This folder is blue).

Es is the 3rd person singular form of the verb "ser." As in, Ella es contenta. (She is a happy person.)

Watch the SpanishDict video on ser vs. estar for more information on the difference between the two! (:

Little comment here, while you are mostly correct, "contenta" is considered a state of mind, not a trait. So it goes with the verb "estar". To say that someone is a happy person (referring to her personality), you'd say "ella es alegre" - bill1111, Sep 13, 2010

Answer 2

está: means "is at/on/in" (somewhere)

"El gato está en la mesa": The cat is on the table

"Él está en casa": He is at home

"Está en la canasta": It is in the basket

esta: means "this" (only for female nouns)

"Esta cosa": This thing

"Esta casa es linda": This house is pretty.

es: means "to be" as in being something rather than being somewhere

"Es lindo": It's pretty

"Eso es un gato": That is a cat.