Lesson 1.3

Uses of ‘Estar’

Location

To describe where you or someone or something is located:

• Yo estoy en clase. (I am in class).

• CNM está en Albuquerque. (CNM is in Albuquerque)

• El teléfono está en la mesa. (The telephone is on the table)

Temporary States

To describe emotions, health and temporary physical conditions:

• ¿Cómo estás? (How are you?)

• Yo estoy bien (I am well)

• Ella está sorprendida. (She is surprised)

• Ongoing actions- To describe what you or others are doing

• Yo estoy estudiando. (I am studying)

• Nosotros estamos hablando. (We are talking)

For now, the uses that will be focused on in this chapter will be temporary physical conditions. In later chapters the other uses of ‘Estar’ will be explored.

Numbers- Numbers are essential in daily communication. From telling the time to saying how many people or things there are in any given situation.

Telling Time

Telling time in Spanish is a bit different than in English when using the numbers 1-30. Once the basic structure is understood, it becomes easier.  Below is a visual of how to structure the telling of time in Spanish using the numbers 1-30.

Diagram of a clock

Please note that from the beginning of the hour until ‘media’ the word ‘y’ (and) will be used. Then from ‘veintinueve’  until the end of the hour, the word ‘menos’ (minus) will be used to describe the minutes.

Also note that instead of ‘quince’ the word ‘cuarto’ will be used and instead of ‘treinta’ the word ‘media’ will be used for telling time.

The questions that are most useful when telling time are:  ¿Qué hora es? (What time is it?) And ¿A qué hora es? (At what time is it?).

When answering the question: ‘¿Qué hora es?’, the verb ‘ser’ will be used. The verb ‘ser’ will agree with ‘hora’ or ‘horas’ even though the words ‘hora’ or ‘horas’ are implicit and never spoken.

Use ‘Es la’ only when mentioning anything related to 1 o’clock

When indicating whether it is ‘a.m.’ and ‘p.m’ use the expressions

• De la mañana – of the morning

• De la tarde- of the afternoon (12pm-until dark)

• De la noche-of the night (dark-until 12am)

Other vocabulary used with time.

• Es mediodía- It’s noon

• Es medianoche-It’s midnight

• En punto-On the dot

Structure when answering ‘¿Qué hora es?’:

• [Es/Son] + [la/las] + hour + [y/menos] + [de la] +[mañana/tarde/noche]

When answering the question ‘A qué hora es’ (At what time is?) the structure changes. The verb ‘ser’ will be used and will agree with the event that is happening.

Structure when answering ‘A qué hora es?’:

• [The event] + [es a la/las] + [time] or [Es a la/las] + [time]

Cultura: New Mexico and Hispanic Culture in the United States

New Mexico is an important state for Hispanic history in the United States. It was part of Mexico until 1800’s. In fact, along with New Mexico, Texas, Utah, Arizona, California, and Nevada were also fully included into Mexico’s territory before 1821. Texas didn’t become a state until 1845 which would only make it a state for 180 years out of the 249 years that the United States became a country. In many cases, political borders divided cultures, communities and families that had been there for many hundreds of years. This is why New Mexico, just as the other states mentioned above, have such a rich Hispanic history. In the case of New Mexico just as the other states, many people speak Spanish. However, New Mexico is the only state where Spanish is used alongside English in state government functions. Because of New Mexico’s continued connection to Spanish, the traditions, the architecture and the food demonstrate a mix of Indigenous, Mexican and Spanish cultures.