Grammar Latest Posts Linguistics

How To Choose Between Ser and Estar With Adjectives of Color

Today, we will focus on which verbs to use with adjectives of color in Spanish. In general, the choice will be between ser and estar, and we must always place the verb before the adjective.


Permanent or temporary?

When deciding which verb to use, remember to pick ser when talking about a permanent (-ish) characteristic of the noun. On the other hand, you should opt for estar when referring to a temporary state.

We normally use adjectives of color to refer to a permanent characteristic of the noun. For example:

Tip: Click on any of the linked sentences in this article (while on a mobile) to add them directly to your Fluent Forever app, so you can study them later. Don’t have our app yet? Download it here!

Easy, right? Here we use the verb ser (conjugated as es) because we know that the wood will always be brown. 


What if it’s both?

Now, let’s think about a more complex example where we can also use the verb estar:

In this example, we’re talking about a permanent characteristic of the wood (we’re saying that it is brown), but we’re also describing a temporary state of it (the wood is temporarily red because it’s burning). Let’s look at a few more sentences of this type:

Note: In this sentence, the conjugated form of the verb ser is serán, which is in the future tense.

Ahora las flores son rosas. (Now, the flowers are pink.)
Image by Pexels from Pixabay 

As you can see in these examples, estar always refers to a temporary state of the noun, while ser indicates one of its permanent attributes.

With this information, you’re ready to pick the correct verb to go with your adjectives of color!



Written by Humberto Aparicio

[shareaholic app="share_buttons" id="28313910"]

Think In Any New Language

GET THE APP