CEFR A1
What you will learn
- Decide whether a message identifies, locates or introduces an existing entity.
- Select the present form of ser or estar that agrees with the subject.
- Use invariant hay with indefinite or quantified entities and estar with a named or definite entity.
Before you start
- Have studied “Everything agrees: nouns, articles and adjectives”.
- Have studied “The present tense: three endings to start speaking”.
The idea
English “to be” covers several jobs. Spanish separates three of the most frequent A1 jobs: “ser” identifies or classifies, “estar” locates a known entity or reports its current state, and “hay” introduces the existence of something. The useful question is not simply “permanent or temporary?”. Location uses “estar” even when it is permanent, and an event uses “ser” to say where it takes place.
Locations of people and objects use “estar”, whether the location lasts five minutes or fifty years. Events use “ser” for the place where they happen: “La reunión es en la biblioteca”.
“Hay” does not normally take a definite noun phrase as its introduced entity. Say “Hay un banco” to introduce it, then “El banco está cerca” once it is identified.
Complete present forms of ser and estar
| person | ser | estar |
|---|---|---|
| yo | soy | estoy |
| tú | eres | estás |
| él / ella / usted | es | está |
| nosotros / nosotras | somos | estamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | sois | estáis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | son | están |
How it sounds
- Hay una farmacia. La farmacia está al lado de la estación.The first sentence introduces an unnamed entity, so use “hay” with “una farmacia”. The second sentence names the same definite entity with “la farmacia”. A known entity's location uses “estar”.
Check objective 1Another case
A proposed answer is “Hay” for this case: “State the visible material: El banco Hay de madera.”. Choose the only valid form.
A proposed answer is “está” for this case: “State the visible material: El banco está de madera.”. Choose the only valid form.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: es — Material classifies what the bench is made of, so Spanish uses ser.
Material classifies what the bench is made of, so Spanish uses ser.
Answer: es — Material classifies what the bench is made of, so Spanish uses ser.
Material classifies what the bench is made of, so Spanish uses ser.
Check objective 2Another case
A proposed answer is “Hay” for this case: “Locate the identified fountain: La fuente Hay en el centro de la plaza.”. Choose the only valid form.
A proposed answer is “es” for this case: “Locate the identified fountain: La fuente es en el centro de la plaza.”. Choose the only valid form.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: está — La fuente is a definite, identified object, and the sentence gives its location.
“La fuente” is a definite, identified object, and the sentence gives its location.
Answer: está — La fuente is a definite, identified object, and the sentence gives its location.
“La fuente” is a definite, identified object, and the sentence gives its location.
Check objective 3Another case
A proposed answer is “Está” for this case: “Introduce the bicycles shown in the square: Está tres bicicletas en la plaza.”. Choose the only valid form.
A proposed answer is “Es” for this case: “Introduce the bicycles shown in the square: Es tres bicicletas en la plaza.”. Choose the only valid form.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: Hay — The sentence introduces a counted set that exists in the scene, so hay is required and remains singular in form.
The sentence introduces a counted set that exists in the scene, so hay is required and remains singular in form.
Answer: Hay — The sentence introduces a counted set that exists in the scene, so hay is required and remains singular in form.
The sentence introduces a counted set that exists in the scene, so hay is required and remains singular in form.
When it doesn't hold
What breaks the rule, said out loud. Hiding it is what makes you feel cheated in the exam.
What your own language pushes you to say
Wrong Hay la biblioteca en la plaza y el libro es en la mesa.
Right La biblioteca está en la plaza y el libro está en la mesa.
Both entities are definite and already identified, so their locations require estar, not hay or ser.
Challenge: apply every rule
Solve every case and justify each choice: 1) A proposed answer is “Hay” for this case: “State the visible material: El banco Hay de madera.”. Choose the only valid form. 2) A proposed answer is “Hay” for this case: “Locate the identified fountain: La fuente Hay en el centro de la plaza.”. Choose the only valid form. 3) A proposed answer is “está” for this case: “Introduce the bicycles shown in the square: está tres bicicletas en la plaza.”. Choose the only valid form.
Answer available without interaction
- Decide whether a message identifies, locates or introduces an existing entity.
- Select the present form of ser or estar that agrees with the subject.
- Use invariant hay with indefinite or quantified entities and estar with a named or definite entity.
Answer: es · está · Hay
Material classifies what the bench is made of, so Spanish uses ser. “La fuente” is a definite, identified object, and the sentence gives its location. The sentence introduces a counted set that exists in the scene, so hay is required and remains singular in form.
Curriculum alignment and sources
- A1 can use basic one-clause structures about personal details, people and places; the three-way Spanish contrast is an enabling editorial sequence. · CEFR descriptors search
- A1 inventory: ser for identification, origin, profession and temporal location; estar for spatial location and bien/mal; impersonal hay for existence. · Plan Curricular del Instituto Cervantes: Gramática, inventario A1-A2
Continue along this corridor
Practise this: “Ser” or “estar”: two verbs for one “to be”Practise this: “Hay” or “está”Everything agrees: nouns, articles and adjectivesThe present tense: three endings to start speakingQuestions and negatives: less machinery than English