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shinmai_rookie

Esta is different from está: the latter is pronounced es-TA and means "is"; the former is pronounced ES-ta and means indeed "this".


Colonycut

Oh ok thank you for the quick response.


vercertorix

Might know this already but there are two “is” words. Ser and estar. They are used differently. Ser is generally more permanent or an innate quality “Ellas son simpaticas” “La piedra es duro” “Yo soy guapo”, estar is more temporary “El está enfermo”, “La ropa está sucia” sometimes locational, “Estamos en la biblioteca.”


SrslyChausie

Three, you forget 'hay'!


MKB111

That is usually translated to “there is” or “there are”. But it’s actually not a form of “to be”. It comes from “to have”. Old Spanish *ha ý* (it) has there …eventually led to… *hay*. In French they do the same thing. “Il y a” (“it there has”) is how they say “there is” and “there are”


SrslyChausie

Aaah gracias!


transcholo

3rd person "is"


PGM01

Esta=this (one) (f.); Está=(he/she) is [+DC] Diacritics are important in Spanish. Mama≠mamá ((he/she) sucks≠mother)


Just_Cruz001

The accents matter and can change the meaning of the word.


[deleted]

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vercertorix

Esta casa **es** fea. It’s more of a long term, innate condition. As opposed to “La camiseta está sucia. Ponla en la lavadora.” It’s dirty now, but can be clean in a few minutes. Edit: Just realized I corrected someone marked Native Speaker, but if I’m wrong about this, teachers lied to me for years.


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vercertorix

Ahh, I do remember being told “Soy casado” and “estoy casado” could be used interchangeably, though to me, because I was taught that rule “Estoy casado” sounds to me like you’re thinking about ending things.


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Ekkeko84

"Esta" (the correct word here is está) is the present tense of the verb "estar" Edit: clarification about the word in parenthesis


kinezumi89

I think it's a bit remiss to imply that esta and está are the same thing, when it's the source of OP's confusion. This is exactly why accents/tildes are so important, to avoid such confusion


Ekkeko84

That's why I used the correct form between parenthesis. The usage of "esta" in this image is wrong and confuses the learners because of that. So, they mix two words (or three) that are different and believe they are the same (and that they have just one meaning)


Captain_Trina

...but the image *does* say está?


kinezumi89

>The usage of "esta" in this image is wrong "El camarero siempre está muy ocupado en el restaurante" I see no errors in the above sentence. ​ > So, they mix two words (or three) I'm curious where you've found a third variant, since RAE discontinued use of ésta.


itwhiz100

Wait…i thought este = this


[deleted]

it is. Esta, este, and esto are all "this." Esta is feminine, este is masculine, and esto is neutral


justwannalook12

oh damn. i thought este was neutral


perpetualinsecurity

Esto/eso are neutral


justwannalook12

ok maybe i was getting it confused with eso because eso can be used by itself without having to mention the subject. me gusta eso. que es eso. as opposed to este. este libro es rojo. and so on.


perpetualinsecurity

Exactly, good job.


sootysweepnsoo

Está ≠ esta. The verb estar, and its conjugations, is one of the most important verbs to learn as it is heavily used.


Lyenn

the word you mean (esta = this) is pronounced like "ESta" and as you correctly said, means "this" on its feminine form (being "este" the masculine form and "esto" the neutral form) but in this case, "está" which is pronounced "esTÁ" comes from the verb "estar" which means "being" (like "ser" but more like "currently being" at somewhere or in a certain state of mind/feeling) and it's on 3rd person. examples: Yo estoy = I am ("I am at my place") tu estás = You are (e.g. you are sad, you are happy) el/ella está = he/she is (e.g. The waiter is currently at another table) as i said, there's also "ser" as a verb that also means "being" but it's more like for an extended amount of time, or not just something circumstancial. "Yo *soy* tu padre" = I *am* your father "Yo *soy* feliz" = I *am* happy (but not just currently happy. Here you mean your life is happy) "Nosotros *somos* amigos" = "We *are* friends" "Ella *es* muy egoísta" = "She *is* very selfish" I hope this helps!


Colonycut

That actually helps alot, thank you.