Spanish Grammar in Context

A reference grammar with video examples from the Spanish in Texas collection

  • Credits
  • Index
  • About
  • Home
  • Adjectives
    • Introduction to Adjectives
    • Adjectives – Formation and Placement
    • Comparisons and Superlatives with Adjectives
    • Past Participles as Adjectives
    • Todo
    • Indefinite Adjectives
    • Adjectives Practice
  • Adverbs
    • Introduction to Adverbs
    • Adverbs – Formation and Placement
    • Comparative Adverbs
    • Adverbs Practice
  • Conjunctions
    • Introduction to Conjunctions
    • Coordinating Conjunctions
    • Subordinating Conjunctions
    • Conjunctions Practice
  • Determiners
    • Introduction to Determiners
    • Definite Articles
    • Indefinite Articles
    • Possessive Determiners
    • Demonstrative Determiners
    • Expressions of Quantity
    • Determiners Practice
  • Negation
    • Introduction to Negation
    • Basic Negation: No
    • Alternate Forms of Negation
    • One-word Negative Sentences
    • Negation Practice
  • Nouns
    • Introduction to Nouns
    • Nouns – Number
    • Nouns – Gender
    • Nouns Practice
  • Prepositions
    • Introduction to Prepositions
    • Common Prepositions
    • Por vs. Para
    • Prepositions Practice
  • Pronouns
    • Introduction to Pronouns
    • Subject Pronouns
    • Direct Object Pronouns
    • Indirect Object Pronouns
    • Reflexive Pronouns
    • Order of Object Pronouns
    • Relative Pronouns
    • Indefinite Pronouns
    • Demonstrative Pronouns
    • Possessive Pronouns
    • Pronouns Practice
  • Verbs
    • Introduction to Verbs
    • Tense/Mood
    • Introduction to Present Tense
      • -ar Verbs (Regular) Present Tense
      • -er Verbs (Regular) Present Tense
      • -ir Verbs (Regular) Present Tense
    • Ser “To Be”
    • Haber “To Have”
    • Reflexive Verbs
    • Preterit
    • Present Perfect
    • Imperfect
    • Narration: Preterit vs. Imperfect
    • Pluperfect
    • Future
    • Conditional
    • Past Conditional
    • Imperative Mood (commands)
    • Introduction to Subjunctive
      • Subjunctive – Present
      • Subjunctive – Past or Imperfect
      • Subjunctive – Present Perfect
      • Subjunctive – Pluperfect
      • Tense Sequences
    • Si Clauses (If Clauses)
    • Indirect Speech
      • Indirect Speech – Present
      • Indirect Speech – Past
    • Passive Voice
    • Language Contact
    • Verbs Practice
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Practice quizzes: verbs

Ser “To Be”

The verb ser is an irregular verb in most tenses: present, imperfect, preterit, and present subjunctive 

Present

ser  to be
yo soy
nostros/as somos
tú eres
 
él/ella/usted es
ellos/as/ustedes son
past participle: sido
Soy orgulloso. Soy mexicano.
I am proud. I am Mexican.
Somos de una familia muy grande… somos doce.
We come from a very big family… there are twelve of us.
Son más maleducados, más irrespetuosos.
They are more impolite, more disrespectful.

Imperfect

ser  to be
yo era
nostros/as éramos
tú eras
 
él/ella/usted era
ellos/as/ustedes eran
Cuatro hermanos éramos, cuatro hermanos, pero yo era el más chico.
We were four brothers but I was the youngest.
Mi papá y mi mamá eran casi como mis abuelos, en cuanto a edad, mis hermanos y hermanas eran como si fueran mis padres.
My dad and my mom were almost my grandparents in terms of age, my brother and sister were like my parents.

Perterit

ser  to be
yo fui
nostros/as fuimos
tú fuiste
 
él/ella/usted fue
ellos/as/ustedes fueron

Yo fui crecida en una familia católica. Mis papás se consideran católicos.
I was raised in a Catholic family. My parents consider themselves Catholic.
Ellos me dan la satisfacción de que fueron buenos estudiantes, y yo lo siento como un logro mío.
They make me happy that they were good students and it feels like an accomplishment of mine.
Nací en Chihuahua, México. Fui la última de siete hijos. Mis padres tuvieron seis mujeres y un hombre.
I was born in Chihuahua, Mexico. I was the last of seven children. My parents had six girls and one boy.

Present Subjunctive

ser  to be
yo sea
nostros/as seamos
tú seas
 
él/ella/usted sea
ellos/as/ustedes sean

La verdad, no creo que eso sea correcto.
In all honesty, I don’t think that is right.

COERLL • The University of Texas at Austin • info@coerll.utexas.edu Creative Commons License

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