VERB SER - ESTAR

Introduction

Portuguese has two verbs for ‘to be’: ser and estar. Ser is used for properties, conditions and characteristics which do not change including profession, permanent locations, and nationalities.

Estar, on the other hand, is used for temporary states as well as transitory conditions and locations. Let’s have a look at the present indicative of ser and estar and then elaborate on the two different forms of ‘to be’ in Portuguese.

Ser

1st person, singular: Eu sou [I am]

2nd person, singular: Tu és [You are] *

3rd person, singular: Ele , Ela , Você é [He/she is; You are]

1st person, plural: Nós somos [We are]

2nd person, plural: Vós sois [You are] *

3rd person, plural: Eles, Elas, Vocês são [They (m)/They(f), You are]

Estar

1st person, singular: Eu estou [I am]

2nd person, singular: Tu estás [You are] *

3rd person, singular: Ele, Ela,Você está [He/she is; You are]

1st person, plural: Nós estamos [We are]

2nd person, plural: Vós estais [You are] *

3rd person, plural: Eles , Elas, Vocês estão [They (m) / They (f); You are]

Examples of Ser and Estar

João está em Nova York [João (temporarily) is in New York].

A casa de João é grande [The house of João is big].

Ele é do Rio de Janeiro [He is from Rio de Janeiro].

Roberto está ali? [Is Roberto there]?

Eu sou brasileiro [I am Brazilian].

Eu estou feliz [I am happy].

Eles são professores [They are teachers]

Vocês são engenheiros [You are engineers] *

* The second person is hardly used in Brazil. Instead você and vocês replace tu and vós, not only for ser and estar.

Como está voce [How are you]?

Que horas são [What's the time]?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Facts about the Portuguese language

Portuguese is the official language in nine different countries: Portugal, Brazil, Mozambique, Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Timor-Leste, Equatorial Guinea, Cape Verde, and São Tomé and Principe.  Portuguese is growing fast and has the potential to be an “international communication language,” according to UNESCO. The roots of the Portuguese language are based in the autonomous community of  Galicia , in the north of Portugal and the northwest of Spain. Their language, Galician, was a mix of local dialects and common Latin, and around the 14th century, Portuguese emerged as a descendant language. 
Read more

PORTUGUESE SALON VOCABULARY

Nails – Unhas: acetona – nail polish remover alicate – nail clippers (also the word for plant cutters/shears) lixa – nail file (also the word for sandpaper) lixar – to file esmolte – nail polish algodão, cotonete – cotton unha francesa – french manicure unhas postiças – fake nails, acrylic nails Hair Removal - Waxing - Depilação depilação - hair removal cera de depilação - wax lâmina de barbear - shaving blade gilete - razor Hair – Cabelos: prancha (or chapinha) – hair straightener pentear – to comb escovar – to brush enxaguar – to rinse lavar – to wash piranha (or grampo) – hair clip (piranha literally means piranha (as in the carnivorous fish)… and be careful…the word “piranha” also means “slut” when talking about a girl in Portuguese slang) goma (or elastico) – hair tie desgrenhado - discheveled (hair) secador de cabelos – hair dryer franja – bangs cabelo comprido – long hair cabelo curto – short hair mechas – highlights pintar os cabelos - to dye on
Read more

EVENT

April 21 Casa do Brasil Tiradentes' Party Casa do Brasil invites to a cocktail party, Tuesday, April 21st, at 7 pm, honoring the memory and the spirit of the martyr Tiradentes. At 7:30 pm the film "Os Inconfidentes" will be shown. Live entertainment with Francis Deo in a tribute to Roberto Carlos. CASA DO BRASIL (Ballroom), 4 West 43rd Street (off 5th Avenue), New York City. For more information: (646) 247-2443 or (213) 730-0888.
Read more