Estar vs. Ser for colors
2
votes
Hi,
please help me i got lost here.
In rosseta stone they use 'SON' to say: Los calcetines son blancos. right after that, they use 'ESTAR': Estan verdes (to describe bananas on a tree)
why?? It is matter, isn't?
Thanks!
8825 views
updated Sep 7, 2013
posted by zacks
2 Answers
4
votes
Ser for colors of things.
With the bananas she is saying they are not ripe, están verde. They are temporarily green but will change to ripe soon.
Están verde is used to describe any unripe fruit or vegetable.
updated Sep 7, 2013
posted by gringojrf
2
votes
To expand slightly on Gringo's very good answer, another way to think of it is that "ser" is used with characteristics and white is a characteristic of the socks. "Estar" is used with conditions and the greenness of the bananas is a condition at that time and not a basic characteristic of bananas.
updated Sep 7, 2013
posted by kirk1
both great answers - rogspax, Sep 7, 2013
Thank you for the expansion. Very precise. - gringojrf, Sep 7, 2013
