When to use "Esta" vs "Es"
Not sure when to use "Esta" or "Es" for the word "is".
ie: Donde esta el telefono? Where is the telephone?
Cual es el nombre del hijo? What is the name of the son?
3 Answers
THe basic rule that my first teacher told me was that estar is for temporary things, and ser is for permanent things. Estar is for location, ser is for descriptions. Don't take the permanent-temporary rule too literally, since for example you say "es abogado" to say that someone is a lawyer although employment could end at any moment.
Hi:
If you have time to look (again) at lesson 1.11 you'll find very useful information on SER and ESTAR. Furthermore, Paralee gives us a very good memo trick to remember the most obvious differences between the two verbs.
After doing lesson 1.11, if you ask Why do we use ser in Es un abogado... It's because even if the person is unemployed, he/she is an unemployed lawyer.
Don't hesitate to ask again if we can help.
Go here and learn about one of the most frequently asked questions on SD.
