Spanish is one of the Indo-European languages that have a remarkable contribution to romance. With over 460 million native speakers, Spanish is the second most spoken language around the globe. Another interesting fact about Spanish is that it has the first modern novel.
Due to all these facts, many people are interested in learning this language. However, the problem arises when you’re unable to distinguish the words that have similar meanings such as “es”, “eres”, and “esta”.
Es, eres, and esta mean “to be”, though there’s a difference in the context. You can use “es” in place of “it is.” Keep in mind you can use it only under two conditions; one with the adjective, and the second when the sentence is followed by reasoning.
You can use the second verb “eres” when the features of something or someone are constant.
Esta can be used to tell a location or situation that is current and might change in future.
If you want to learn these verbs with examples, you should keep on reading. I’ll also discuss how you can learn Spanish by yourself.
So, let’s get into it…
Is Spanish Hard To Learn?
The majority of non-natives find Spanish a confusing language as it has some difficult grammar rules as compared to English. If you want to learn it, you need to stay consistent and find the right way that works for you. Keep in mind what works for others may not work for you.
Here’s why Spanish isn’t easy to learn;
- Verbs change according to pronouns
- There is a gender for each adjective
- Adjectives come in singular and plural forms
- Depending on the verb, you have to conjugate it 13 different ways
Additionally, it’s hard to understand someone speaking Spanish fast. Therefore, you’ve to process things along with the speed. In the beginning, it’ll take time to train your ear.
Can You Learn Spanish By Yourself?
There are many useful ways to learn Spanish by yourself. With all the information available on the internet, you can plan your modules.
You can learn Spanish by adopting the following ways;
- You should start with basic phrases that you can use in everyday life. It will help you understand natives a bit.
- Training your ears is the best practice
- Therefore, you can watch movies and T.V shows with subtitles. Interestingly, there are a number of quality web series in this language. Did you know Money Heist is a Spanish series?
- Listening to songs with subtitles is also a useful practice
- It’s never a good idea to translate everything you listen to into your native language
- The best idea would be to form a mental image instead
- You can download the apps where you can connect and converse with native speakers
- You can learn grammar rules from any book or free online resources
- Whether you’re a beginner or an intermediate learner, YouTube is a great place where you can find a handful of resources suitable for all levels of learners.
“Es”, “Eres”, And “Esta” Difference
Let’s have a look at the difference with examples;
Es means it is. Let me tell you that not all sentences starting with “it is” contain es. In Spanish, you don’t always use “es” in place of is. This verb can only be used in certain situations or conditions.
Use it with either an adjective while giving reasons or use it to describe something or someone
- I love cake because it is sweet: Me encanta el pastel porque es dulce
- The parrot is lovely: El loro es precioso
Eres is a verb that represents unchangeable characteristics or features.
- You’re tall: Eres alto
- You’re from Egypt: Eres de Egipto
Esta is a verb that represents something you’re currently doing. It is used as it is, he is or she is. Current location or emotions or feelings
- She is sad because her husband died: Ella esta triste porque su esposo murio
- Alisa is in Italy: Aliss está en Italia
- I can’t go to prom because it is snow falling: No puedo ir al baile de graduación porque está nevando
Difference Between Como Estas And Como Eres
When you put intonation at the end of estas and eres, they both become questions. ¿Como estas? means “how are you?” ¿Como eres? means “what are you like?”
The meaning of the verbs eres and estas is “you are”. While como represents what. However, the context changes when they’re paired together.
You can look at these examples;
- ¿Como estas amor? How are you, love?
- Estoy bien, gracias, y tú I am fine, thanks, and you
- ¿Como eres? What are you like?
- Soy alta (feminine) I’m tall
- Soy alto (masculine) I’m tall
Here’s a video that teaches you eight different ways to ask “how are you” in Spanish
Some Basic Spanish Phrases
| English | Spanish |
| Hello/Hy | Hola |
| Good morning! | Buenos Dias |
| Where do you live? | ¿Donde vives? |
| I want a pizza | quiero una pizza |
| I am a tourist | Yo soy turista |
| I work here | trabajo aquí |
| Good evening! | buenas noches! |
| Thank you | gracias |
| I speak English | yo hablo inglés |
Conclusion
It’s really important to use es, eres, and esta in the right way. Otherwise, what you’re saying will make entirely a different sense to someone who knows Spanish.
You can use es only under two conditions. When there’s an adjective in a sentence, or you’re giving a reason for why something happened.
While eres and esta have entirely different uses. Eres can only be used when you’re defining the constant features of something. Esta, on the other hand, can be used when you want to tell variable features or the current location of someone.
What makes Spanish a hard-to-consume language is its grammar rules. Therefore, you should spend at least an hour or two with a grammar book.