Ser and estar with adjectives that change meaning
Ser listo / estar listo, ser malo / estar malo and other pairs.
Some adjectives change meaning depending on the verb:
| Adjective | ser | estar |
|---|---|---|
| listo | clever | ready |
| malo | bad | ill / gone off |
| bueno | good (person, quality) | tasty / healthy / attractive (colloquial) |
| aburrido | boring | bored |
| rico | rich | delicious |
| abierto | open-minded | open (e.g. a shop) |
| verde | green (colour) | unripe / inexperienced |
| vivo | lively, sharp | alive |
Estar with a characteristic adjective also expresses an impression or a change: ¡Qué alto estás! = How tall you've got! La sopa está salada = The soup is (tastes) salty.
- Este chico es muy listo, pero nunca está listo a tiempo.This boy is very clever, but he's never ready on time.
- La película es aburrida y yo estoy aburrido.The film is boring and I'm bored.
Test yourself
-
What does «Estoy malo» mean?
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I'm ill. -
Fill in: ¿___ listos? Nos vamos. (vosotros)
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Estáis -
What does «Es muy rico» mean?
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He's very rich. -
Fill in: ¡Qué rica ___ la tarta!
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