3 Key Word Pairs You MUST Memorize in Spanish

3 Key Word Pairs You MUST Memorize in Spanish Sign up successful Let’s start with the first three most common distinctions in Spanish that don’t exist in English. What’s the difference between ser and estar? Why does it matter? While both these verbs translate in English as to be, they refer to different types of being. Ser refers to  permanent, stable, non-changing attributes,  such as your gender, personality qualities, where you’re from, what you do for a living. Estar, on the other hand, refers to time- and situation-dependent attributes, conditions, and states, such as emotions or behavior. Ser is also used with events. Interestingly, ser is used with time and estar is used when referring to death, revealing fascinating implications about how most Spanish-speaking cultures regard life and death, stemming for their proclivity toward belief in the after-life and the Spanish language’s Catholic legacy. Here is a useful example: When you use ser referring to boredom, you are saying, “He is boring,” (referring to a boring person) whereas when you use estar referring to boredom, it means “He is bored.” Because Spanish makes this distinction between these ways of being, there is no actual difference between the words bored and boring in Spanish, underscoring how important it is to learn these distinctions to boost your language skills and accurately convey what you mean. Similarly, if someone tends to be quiet across many contrasting situations, I would use ser, and if they are only being quiet now, I would use estar. Heres a great visual representation of the  difference between ser and estar: Now, practice which to use in the following contexts (dont  scroll down to the answers until you try the practice!): 1) It’s 11 o’clock. 2) I am from San Francisco. 3) I’m feeling happy about my new promotion. 4) The fly is dead. 5) Jim is tired. 6) I’m usually energetic but know I’m lethargic (note the two distinctions present here). Answer Key: 1) S 2) S 3) E 4) E 5) E 6) S, E Didnt score too well on the quiz? This video goes more into detail on the difference between ser and estar. Check it out for some additional pointers! What’s the difference between por and para? Why does it matter? While they both refer to the word ‘for’ in English, they are quite distinct. The general  distinction is that por tends to emphasize movement, exchange, process and motion, while para  emphasizes outcomes, deadlines, goals, results and/or destination. Aside from referring to ‘for,’ in many situations, por  can also mean ‘by’ or ‘through’ and para often means ‘in order to.’ Practice which to use in the following contexts (again, dont scroll down until youre ready!): 1) I work to earn a living for my family. 2) The river passes through the valley. 3) The book was by Pablo Neruda. 4) I work for Juan Sanchez. 5) I paid $4 for the soup. 6) Thanks for playing. 7) For example 8) I’ll bring tomato for the party. Answer Key: 1) Para 2) Por 3) Por 4) Para 5) Por 6) Por 7) Por 8) Para What’s the difference between saber and conocer? Why does it matter? Saber and conocer both mean ‘to know’ in English, but again they’re strikingly different types of knowing. Saber  is more about book knowledge, memorization, and procedural skills whereas conocer  is about familiarity, ‘knowing of’ things, and when you meet someone and/or know them. Practice which to use in the following contexts: 1) I know Mr. Big Boss. 2) I know the lyrics to that song perfectly. 3) I know how to cook. 4) I know that city. Answer Key: 1) C 2) S 3) S 4) C Need more help distinguishing between saber and conocer? This quick video lesson helps clear up a lot of the confusion. Did this article help you grasp word pairs better? A Spanish tutor  can help you master these key differences even more. Dont have a tutor yet? Search for a Spanish tutor near you. Post Author:  Jason N. Jason N. tutors in English and Spanish in Fairfax, CA.  He majored in Spanish at UC Davis, lived in Mexico for 3 years, and studied Spanish Literature at the University of Costa Rica. Learn more about Jason here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher