Lesson 3 - ser (to be)
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Pages in this lesson: Subject pronouns - ser - Dialogue - Reading - Quiz
This page: Learn the forms of the verb ser (to be) in Spanish.
ser
Grammar Lesson
There are two forms of the verb "to be" in Spanish. One is ser, which we will learn in this lesson, and the other is estar, which we will learn in next week's lesson. We will also learn more about the differences in use between ser and estar in next week's lesson. The verb ser is an irregular verb. The forms are listed in the table below. A different form of the verb is used depending on the subject. Click on the forms of the verb in the table below to hear the pronunciation and repeat.
| Subject pronouns | Form of ser | English translation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | ► soy | I am |
| tú | ► eres | you are |
| usted, él, ella | ► es | you are/he is/she is |
| nosotros, nosotras | ► somos | we are |
| vosotros, vosotras | ► sois | you are (used in Spain only) |
| ustedes, ellos, ellas | ► son | you are/they are |
Note: Remember that the subject pronoun doesn't necessarily have to be used in a sentence if it is clear who the subject is based on the context or verb form. For example, with the verb soy, it is obvious that the subject is yo so the subject is generally not used. The subject may still be used, however, for emphasis.
Practice
Section 1
Select the correct form of the verb for the subject.
Practice
Section 2
Fill in the blank with the correct verb form. (inteligente = intelligent)
Negative
Making verbs negative in Spanish is very easy. Just add the word "no" before the verb.
- Examples:
- No soy de México.
- Ella no es de Perú.
- Los niños no son de Colombia.
Section 3
Change the sentence to negative. Don't forget to use correct capitalization, accents and punctuation, or the computer will mark it as incorrect.
Question Formation
Forming questions is also easy in Spanish. Just change the word order by putting the verb first. If there is no subject (the verb is already first), all you need is to put question marks. In Spanish an upside-down question mark (¿) is used at the beginning of the question as well as a regular question mark (?) at the end. In some sentences the subject can go right after the verb or at the end of the sentence. If a verb has an object or adverb, however, the subject usually goes after the object or adverb.
- Examples:
- ¿Eres de México?
- ¿Es ella la profesora? (Is she the teacher?)
Often Spanish-speakers don't even change the word order for a question. They use the normal sentence word order and just add question marks (to written text) and question intonation (to spoken questions). We also do this in English when we are confirming something ("Maria is from Mexico?").
- Examples:
- ¿María es de México?
- ¿Los niños son de Perú?
Find the mistake in the sentence and re-write it correctly in the space. Don't forget to use correct capitalization, accents and punctuation, or the computer will mark it as incorrect.
|
Writing
Write a few sentences with the forms of the verb ser.
- Examples
- Soy de Illinois. (I am from Illinois.)
- Mi mamá es alta. (My mom is tall.)
If you want to type a special character (like an accented letter) in the comments section, you could do one of the following . . .
- Select and copy the character that you need → á é í ó ú ü ñ ¿ ¡ Á É Í Ó Ú Ü Ñ « »
- Use special codes on your computer if you have numeric keypad (instructions HERE).
- Type your sentences into the text box below and use the special character buttons provided. Then select and copy your text and paste it into the comments section.
If you see an error in someone else's sentence, please respond with the correction. Comments that are not from "Janet Castrejon" (the author of this page) do not represent Simplified Spanish. If someone is writing inappropriate comments on this webpage, please send a message to [email protected] and include the page that you saw the comment on.
Adjectives to describe personality
Lesson 3 - ser (to be)
Subject Pronouns - ser - Dialogue - Reading - Quiz
Important Links
Pronouns - Pronunciation - Verbs
