esta ( any suggestions?)

Question

I confuse my esta and está. Is there any suggestions for remembering the difference between the two? Por Favor!

Answer 1

Try remembering how they are pronounced. esta is flat like hohum this. But estÁ has a more pronunced á like "how Are you!?"

Gracias! It is the pronunciation that has helped me to distinguish between them. - chellapadua, May 28, 2013

:) - 0080b918, May 28, 2013

Pura vida - 00551866, May 28, 2013

Answer 2

Esta means this(feminine gender)

It is a demonstrative adjective which is used when you point to something/someone which is feminine.

But, Está, is a verb meaning is

Like, Esta niña está enferma: This girlchild is sick.

You just have to keep in mind that the one having accent over a, i.e.está ,is the verb.

Hi, in English we don't use the term 'girlchild', just say 'girl' and you will be understood. Cheers! - 0095ca4c, May 26, 2013

Answer 3

Muchísimas gracias a todos! Thank you all for your help. Pronunciation has helped me to distinguish between the verb and pronoun.

Answer 4

I always told myself that the verb is accentuated and the pronoun is not. Maybe that will help.

Above mentioned pronoun is demonstrative. Hope we could avoid pronoun confusion. - 8553148960, May 26, 2013

I/m not confused, are you confused by my explanation of how I remembered the difference between está and esta? There was no mention of es...simply two words. I was trying to make it simple which is always best when you first start to learn. Cheers! - 0095ca4c, May 26, 2013

Answer 5

Hi Chellapadua,

In Spanish Esta can be used in 2 places.

Number 1: Demonstrative pronoun & Number 2: Estar Verb In Demonstrative pronoun Esta can be used without accent of “a” at the end of the word (Esta).

Eg: This apple is red – Esta la manzana es rojo

Note: for demonstrative pronoun there is no accent and above esta is “Feminine category”.

Number 2: Estar Verb Eg; Estoy, Estas, Está, Estamos, Estaís & Estan.

You can find “Está” with a accent”á” on 3rd person/2nd person you in Estar Verb column. Note: Está or Estar verb can be used only for temporary action.

Please get back to forum still if you have any confusion.Thanks! Regards, Mohammed.

Answer 6

For me , remembering 1 simple sentence kills 2 birds with 1 stone.

"¿Dónde está esta calle?" "Where is this street"

is useful when trying to find your way around the sites of Madrid, but if you remember that the 1st element is accented and that the accent adds emphasis, it's a six pointer and you're on your way to "La Liga" (football term, sorry). You may find a similar sentence that does the same thing, but you find more useful or memorable. Anyway it works well for me and It might apply to other situations as well (although I haven't thought of any others yet).