Language/Galician/Grammar/How-to-Use-Be

Galician Grammar - How to Use "Be"

Hi Galician learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will focus on one of the most important verbs in any language: the verb "to be". It is essential to understand how to use it properly to make sense in conversations. We Galicians use the verb "ser" for permanent characteristics and identity, while we use "estar" for temporary or changing conditions. We will dive into this distinction as well as special constructions with "be".

Don't miss the chance to check out these pages as you wrap up this lesson: Say Hello and Greetings in Galician, Adverbs in Galician & Gender.

"Ser" and "Estar"

In Galician, we have two different verbs that both mean "to be": "ser" and "estar".

"Ser" is used for:

- Nationality: "Eu son galego/a" (I am Galician). - Job/Profession: "Elas son profesoras" (They are teachers). - Physical Appearance: "El é alto" (He is tall). - Personality: "Nós somos simpáticos" (We are nice). - Time and Dates: "É martes" (It's Tuesday). - Possession: "A casa é deles" (The house is theirs).

On the other hand, "estar" is used for:

- Location: "Estou en casa" (I am at home). - Health: "Elas están enfermas" (They are sick). - Temporary states: "A sopa está quente" (The soup is hot). - Emotions: "Estou feliz" (I am happy). - Actions in progress: "El le está escribindo" (He is writing).

Remember that the distinction between "ser" and "estar" can sometimes be blurry, and it might depend on the context. However, as a general rule, try to think of "ser" as more permanent and "estar" as more temporary.

Here is a dialogue to illustrate the difference:

• Person 1: ¿De onde es? (Where are you from?)
• Person 2: Son portugués/a, pero agora estou vivindo en Santiago. (I am Portuguese, but now I am living in Santiago).

Notice how Person 1 uses "ser" to ask about Person 2's nationality, while Person 2 uses "estar" to talk about their current location.

Special Constructions with "Be"

Apart from "ser" and "estar", we also use "be" in other constructions in Galician:

Progressive Tense

The progressive tense is used to talk about actions that are happening now or around now. To form the progressive tense, we use "estar" + "gerund".

For example:

• "Estou escribindo un correo" (I am writing an email).

Notice how "estou" is the present form of "estar" and "escribindo" is the gerund of "escribir" (to write). Together they form the progressive tense.

Passive Voice

The passive voice is used to talk about actions that are done by someone or something else. In Galician, we form the passive voice with the verb "ser" + past participle.

For example:

• "O libro foi escrito por ela" (The book was written by her).

Here "foi" is the third person singular past form of "ser" and "escrito" is the past participle of "escribir".

Existential "There"

We use "haber" (a form of "be") in the impersonal expression "hai" to express the existence of something or someone, like the English "there is/are".

For example:

• "Hai moito tráfico nesta zona" (There is a lot of traffic in this area).

Notice how "hai" is the third person singular present form of "haber".

Summary

In Galician, we have two different verbs that both mean "to be": "ser" and "estar". "Ser" is used for permanent characteristics and identity, while "estar" is used for temporary or changing conditions. We also use "be" in other constructions such as the progressive tense, passive voice, and existential "there". Remember to pay attention to the context and try to distinguish between "ser" and "estar".

To improve your Galician Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

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