Ser vs estar again (sigh)

GromitC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Ser vs estar again (sigh)

Hi, Shui, is there a difference between “este está compuesto por” and “este es compuesto por”? I would have expected the ser form in this contextFrom reverso.com I see both forms are quite common. Why would you choose the estar form in this case, and would the ser form be wrong? Thanks!

Asked 2 years ago
InmaKwiziq team member

Hola Gromit

The passive can be formed with the verb ser or the verb estar. We use the passive with ser when we talk about actions that indicate and put the emphasis on the actual process of doing something; for example:

El ladron es arrestado por la policía.

The thief is arrested by the police.

We talk about the process of being arrested here.

However if we say:

El ladrón está arrestado.

The thief is arrested.

Here we refer to the end result. So, as a result of being arrested he is [now]arrested.

With estar we show the result (not the process).

In the example you see in the video, using está compuesto, we are expresing the result too. 

We hardly ever see this verb being used with ser, we generally use it with estar.

Here's a lesson that will help:

Pasiva with estar 

Saludos

Inma

 

Ser vs estar again (sigh)

Hi, Shui, is there a difference between “este está compuesto por” and “este es compuesto por”? I would have expected the ser form in this contextFrom reverso.com I see both forms are quite common. Why would you choose the estar form in this case, and would the ser form be wrong? Thanks!

Sign in to submit your answer

Don't have an account yet? Join today

Ask a question

Find your Spanish level for FREE

Test your Spanish to the CEFR standard

Find your Spanish level
Let me take a look at that...