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"Estar alegre" is an intransitive verb phrase which is often translated as "to be happy", and "ser" is a copular verb which is often translated as "to be". Learn more about the difference between "estar alegre" and "ser" below.
estar alegre(
ehs
-
tahr
ah
-
leh
-
greh
)An intransitive verb phrase is a phrase that combines a verb with a preposition or other particle and does not require a direct object (e.g., Everybody please stand up.).
a. to be happy
Estoy alegre porque mañana regresa mi hermano de Francia.I'm happy because my brother comes back from France tomorrow.
b. to be cheerful
¿Por qué estás tan alegre hoy? - Enrique me confesó su amor.Why are you so cheerful today? - Enrique confessed his love for me.
2. (colloquial) (to be slightly drunk)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. to be tipsy
Yo estaba alegre porque había bebido dos copas de vino.I was tipsy because I had drunk two glasses of wine.
ser(
sehr
)A copular verb links the subject of a clause to the predicate (e.g., My brother is tall).
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
a. to be made of
El casillero antiguo de mi abuela es de roble.My grandma's antique dresser is made of oak.
a. to root for
Yo soy del mejor equipo del mundo: FC Barcelona.I root for the best team in the world: FC Barcelona.
An impersonal verb is a verb with no apparent subject (e.g., Llueve en España.).
a. to be
Son las siete de la mañana.It is seven in the morning.
Era de noche cuando llegaron.It was night when they arrived.
An auxiliary verb, or helper verb, is a conjugated verb that comes before a main verb and determines the main verb's tense, mood, or aspect (e.g., I have gone.).
a. to be
El edificio fue diseñado por un equipo de arquitectos.The building was built by a team of architects.
A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
