Lingoflyser and estar — two verbs "to be"
English has one to be. Catalan has two, and you pick by what you mean. For example: “Sóc rus” — I am Russian (that is what I always am). A rule from the Catalan course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
English has one to be. Catalan has two, and you pick by what you mean.
ser is what someone or something always is: job, origin, character. Its forms are sóc, ets, és.
estar is state and place: where you are, how you feel now. Estic bé — I am fine.
The trap sits in one word. És avorrit — he is a boring man. Està avorrit — he is bored right now.
Table
| ser | estar | |
|---|---|---|
| jo | sóc | estic |
| tu | ets | estàs |
| ell / ella / vostè | és | està |
| nosaltres | som | estem |
| ells / vostès | són | estan |
By example
- Estic béI am well (right now)
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
ser and estar — two verbs "to be": how does it work in Catalan?
English has one to be. Catalan has two, and you pick by what you mean.
What does it look like in a Catalan example sentence?
“Sóc rus” — I am Russian (that is what I always am). A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.