English-Spanish Helpful Handouts Page 1 of 9

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D. Sharon Pruitt

The Uses Of Ser

Ser is used when Be is followed by a noun.

Es un día bonito.

(It’s a beautiful day.)

Ser is used to describe what is permanent, inherent, or characteristic.

El hielo es frío.

(Ice is cold.)

Ser is used to tell the hour, day, and date.

Es el lunes, el veintinueve de julio.

(It’s July 29th.)

Ser is used to talk about place of origin.

Soy de Chile.

(I’m from Chile.)

.

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D. Sharon Pruitt

The Uses Of Ser

Ser is used to express possession.

El coche es mío.

(The car is mine.)

Ser is used with impersonal expressions.

Es posible.

(It’s possible.)

Ser is used to describe size and physical characteristics. It tells what something is made of.

Esta casa es de ladrillos.

(This house is brick.)

Ser is used to talk about religious and political affiliation.

Son católicas.

(They’re catholic.)

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D. Sharon Pruitt

The Uses Of Ser

Ser is used to talk about nationality.

Ella es china.

(She’s Chinese.)

Ser is used to describe relationships.

Ellos son mis padres.

(They are my parents.)

Ser is used to describe personality characteristics.

Ustedes son cómicos.

(You’re funny.)

Ser is used to talk about profession.

Es soldado.

(He’s a soldier.)

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D. Sharon Pruitt

The Uses Of Ser

Ser is used to define or identify people, places, and things.

Éstas son flores.

(These are flowers.)

Ser is used to describe the natural color of something.

La leche es blanca.

(Milk is white.)

Ser is used to say where an event is taking place.

La fiesta es en la casa de Paula.

(The party is at Paula’s house.)

Ser is used in passive voice constructions to describe an action by a doer, that is an agent. The agent is introduced

by por.

Los papeles son arreglados por el secretario cada mañana.

(The papers are arranged by the secretary every morning.)

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D. Sharon Pruitt

The Uses Of Ser

Many adjectives can be used with either ser or estar. The meaning changes depending on the verb you choose.

Ser Estar

abierto frank open

aburrido boring bored

alegre lighthearted happy

alto tall, high in a high position

atento courteous attentive

bajo short, low in a low position

borracho drunkard drunk

bueno good (character) well (health)

callado taciturn silent

cansado tiresome tired

cerrado narrow-minded closed

cierto sure true

consciente aware conscious (awake)

despierto alert, sharp awake

enfermo invalid unwell

interesado self-seeking interested

limpio well-groomed clean

listo clever ready

loco silly (character) frantic

mal bad (character) sick (health)

molesto annoying bothered

nuevo newly-made unused

muerto killed in action dead

orgulloso proud (derogatory) proud of someone/something

preparado ready, prepared learned

rico rich delicious

seguro safe, reliable assured, confident

simpático likeable (character) libkable a the present time

triste dull sad

verde green not ripe

violento violent embarrassed

vivo lively alive

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D. Sharon Pruitt

The Uses Of Ser

Matching.

Instructions: Match each sentence with the reason that it uses ser. (The answers are on page 9.)

a. Los formularios son llenados por los empleados. __c__ Inherent characteristic

b. La falda es de lana. _____ Hour, date, or day

c. El hierro es duro. _____ Origin

d. Es Español. _____ Possesion

e. Son las cinco y media. _____ Impersonal Expression

f. El cristal es mío. _____ Describes what something is made of

g. ¿De dónde eres? _____ Religious or political affiliation

h Es verdad. _____ Nationality

i Es médico. _____ Relationship

j. Ella es amable. _____ Personality characteristic.

k. Madrid es la capital de España. _____ Profession

l. El baile es en la universidad. _____ Definition

m. Las manzanas son rojas. _____ Natural color

n. Esos señores son protestantes. _____ Location of an event

o. Vosotros sois mis hermanos. _____ Passive voice

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D. Sharon Pruitt

The Uses Of Ser

Letter Tiles.

Instructions: Read the hint. Unscramble the tiles to reveal a sentence. Write the sentence on the line provided.

(The answers are on page 9.)

Example:

(Hint): This sentence tells what my desk is made of.

Mi escritorio es de madera.

1 (Hint): This sentence tells to whom the book belongs.

______________________________________________________________________________

2 (Hint): This is an impersonal expression.

________________________________________________________________________________

3 (Hint): This sentence describes a man with an inherent characteristic of sincerity.

_________________________________________________________________________________

4 (Hint). This sentence describes a family relationship.

________________________________________________________________________________

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D. Sharon Pruitt

The Uses Of Ser

5 (Hint): This sentence describes a friend’s profession as an engineer.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

6 (Hint): This sentence tells the time.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 (Hint): This sentence uses gender to identify someone.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Double Puzzle.

Instructions: Unscramble each of the clue sentences. Copy the letters in the numbered cells to the other cells with

the same number. (The answers are on page 9.)

(Hint): The first sentence is an impersonal expression about the time. The second sentence defines a person by

gender. The third sentence tells what a dress is made of.

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D. Sharon Pruitt

The Uses Of Ser

Las Respuestas

Matching

c

e

g

f

h

b

n

d

o

j

i

m

l

a

Letter Tiles

1. El libro es de la muchacha.

2. Es importante.

3. Es un hombre sincero.

4. Ellos son primos.

5. Eres ingeniero.

6. Es la una.

7. Ella es una mujer.

Double Puzzle

1. Es tarde.

2. Es un hombre

3. El vestido es de seda.