The verb “ser”“To be”

ser = “to be”

•In Spanish, the verb ser means “to be.”

•We usually have to conjugate it, or change its form, in order for it to make sense in a sentence.

•We do this in English all the time without even realizing it...

[Marlin and Dory are racing through the jellyfish forest. Marlin starts talking to himself.]\

Marlin: So, we to be cheating death now, that to be what we to be doing, and we to be having fun at the same time, I can do this, just be careful... Dory: Yeah, be careful I don't make you cry when I win! Marlin: Oh I don't think so! Dory: Give it up old man, you can't fight evolution, I to be built for speed! Marlin: The question to be Dory, to be you hungry? Dory: Hungry? Why? Marlin: 'Cause you to be about to eat my bubbles!

What’s wrong with this quote?

The verb “to be” has to be

conjugated!

Marlin: So, we to be cheating death now, that to be what we to be doing, and we to be having fun at the same time, I can do this, just be careful... Dory: Yeah, be careful I don't make you cry when I win! Marlin: Oh I don't think so! Dory: Give it up old man, you can't fight evolution, I to be built for speed! Marlin: The question to be Dory, to be you hungry? Dory: Hungry? Why? Marlin: 'Cause you to be about to eat my bubbles!

Let’s conjugate the verb

Marlin: So, we are cheating death now, that to be what we to be doing, and we to be having

fun at the same time, I can do this, just be careful... Dory: Yeah, be careful I don't make you cry when I

win! Marlin: Oh I don't think so! Dory: Give it up old man, you can't fight evolution, I

to be built for speed! Marlin: The question to be Dory, to be you hungry?

Dory: Hungry? Why? Marlin: 'Cause you to be about to eat my bubbles!

Let’s conjugate the verb

Marlin: So, we are cheating death now, that ISwhat we to be doing, and we to be having fun at the same time, I can do this, just be careful... Dory: Yeah, be careful I don't make you cry when I

win! Marlin: Oh I don't think so! Dory: Give it up old man, you can't fight evolution, I

to be built for speed! Marlin: The question to be Dory, to be you hungry? Dory: Hungry? Why? Marlin: 'Cause you to be about to eat my bubbles!

Let’s conjugate the verb

Marlin: So, we are cheating death now, that ISwhat we are doing, and we to be having fun at the same time, I can do this, just be careful... Dory: Yeah, be careful I don't make you cry when I

win! Marlin: Oh I don't think so! Dory: Give it up old man, you can't fight evolution, I

to be built for speed! Marlin: The question to be Dory, to be you hungry? Dory: Hungry? Why? Marlin: 'Cause you to be about to eat my bubbles!

Let’s conjugate the verb

Marlin: So, we are cheating death now, that ISwhat we are doing, and we are having fun at the same time, I can do this, just be careful... Dory: Yeah, be careful I don't make you cry when I

win! Marlin: Oh I don't think so! Dory: Give it up old man, you can't fight evolution, I

to be built for speed! Marlin: The question to be Dory, to be you hungry? Dory: Hungry? Why? Marlin: 'Cause you to be about to eat my bubbles!

Let’s conjugate the verb

Marlin: So, we are cheating death now, that ISwhat we are doing, and we are having fun at the same time, I can do this, just be careful... Dory: Yeah, be careful I don't make you cry when I

win! Marlin: Oh I don't think so! Dory: Give it up old man, you can't fight evolution, I

am built for speed! Marlin: The question to be Dory, to be you hungry? Dory: Hungry? Why? Marlin: 'Cause you to be about to eat my bubbles!

Let’s conjugate the verb

Marlin: So, we are cheating death now, that ISwhat we are doing, and we are having fun at the same time, I can do this, just be careful... Dory: Yeah, be careful I don't make you cry when I

win! Marlin: Oh I don't think so! Dory: Give it up old man, you can't fight evolution, I

am built for speed! Marlin: The question is Dory, to be you hungry? Dory: Hungry? Why? Marlin: 'Cause you to be about to eat my bubbles!

Let’s conjugate the verb

Marlin: So, we are cheating death now, that ISwhat we are doing, and we are having fun at the same time, I can do this, just be careful... Dory: Yeah, be careful I don't make you cry when I

win! Marlin: Oh I don't think so! Dory: Give it up old man, you can't fight evolution, I

am built for speed! Marlin: The question is Dory, are you hungry? Dory: Hungry? Why? Marlin: 'Cause you to be about to eat my bubbles!

Let’s conjugate the verb

Marlin: So, we are cheating death now, that ISwhat we are doing, and we are having fun at the same time, I can do this, just be careful... Dory: Yeah, be careful I don't make you cry when I

win! Marlin: Oh I don't think so! Dory: Give it up old man, you can't fight evolution, I

am built for speed! Marlin: The question is Dory, are you hungry? Dory: Hungry? Why? Marlin: 'Cause you are about to eat my bubbles!

Let’s conjugate the verb

In English, “to be” has 3 forms, which we just saw:

•am

•is

•are

Each form is used with an appropriate subject

pronounI am We are

You are You all are

He is They are

She is

How does this work in Spanish?

We use subject pronouns in Spanish too, in just the same way.

Subject pronouns in Spanish:

I = yo We = nosotros/nosotras

You (informal) = tú You all (informal) = vosotros/vosotras

You (formal) = Ud. You all (formal) = Uds.

He = él They (males/mixed) = ellos

She = ella They (females) = ellas

In Spanish, ser (“to be”) has 6 forms, each used with its appropriate

subject pronoun:

•yo soy nosotros/nosotras somos

•tú eres vosotros/vosotras sois

•Ud. es Uds. son

•él es ellos son

•ella es ellas son

What does all of this mean?

•yo soy (I am) nosotros/nosotras somos (we are)

•tú eres (you are) vosotros/vosotras sois (y’all are)

•Ud. es (you are [formal]) Uds. son (you all

are)

•él es (he is) ellos son (they are)

•ella es (she is) ellas son (they are)

Let’s try conjugating ser:

•I am short.

•Yo _____ baja.

Let’s try conjugating ser:

•I am short.

•Yo soy baja

Let’s try conjugating ser:

•We are brunettes.

•Nosotros ______ morenos.

Let’s try conjugating ser:

•We are brunettes.

•Nosotros somos morenos.

Let’s try conjugating ser:

•You are ambitious.

•Tú ______ ambicioso.

Let’s try conjugating ser:

•You are ambitious.

•Tú eres ambicioso.

Let’s try conjugating ser:

•They are lazy.

•Ellos _____ perezosos.

Let’s try conjugating ser:

•They are lazy.

•Ellos son perezosos.

Let’s try conjugating ser:

•Dory (she) is blue.

•Dory (ella) _____ azul.

Let’s try conjugating ser:

•Dory (she) is blue.

•Dory (ella) es azul.

Let’s try conjugating ser:

•Marlin (he) is shy.

•Marlin (él) ____ tímido.

Let’s try conjugating ser:

•Marlin (he) is shy.

•Marlin (él) es tímido.

Let’s try conjugating ser:

•Marlin and Dory (they) are friends.

•Marlin y Dory (ellos) _____ amigos.

Let’s try conjugating ser:

•Marlin and Dory (they) are friends.

•Marlin y Dory (ellos) son amigos.

Now it’s your turn to practice!