How do you say "are"? (using ser only)
Using "ser" only, I know "they are" = "son" , but I don't want to say "they are" only "are". How do I do it? Is "son" okay and people will know it's just "are" by the context?
Example: Are sneakers and players necessary for basketball?
Son zapatillas de deporte y los jugadores necesarios para el baloncesto?
Please do not correct any other errors. I'm only wanting to know the translation for "are". Gracias.
4 Answers
I like the verb before the nouns.
Son necesarios...las..y los...para....
Using "ser" only, I know "they are" = "son" , but I don't want to say "they are" only "are".
Example: Are sneakers and players necessary for basketball?
In English you never say only "are". In your sentence your "they" is "sneakers and players"; your sentence is like "Are they necessary for basketball"? In this case, in Spanish it is the same.
Also, while "they are" is translated as "son", it doesn't work the other way around. The word "son" is translated as "are", but English needs either a proper subject, like sneakers and players, or you must insert the pronoun "they", while in Spanish this pronoun is omitted unless you require its use for certain specific uses.
Son zapatillas de deporte y los jugadores necesarios para el baloncesto?
Correct: Son las zapatillas...
It is correct my friend. 
You are correct bandit. Don't forget to put the first upside down question mark so that the reader know you are asking a question 
