ser

English translation of ser

1 (seguido de adjetivos) to be ser expresses identity or nature as opposed to condition or state, which is normally conveyed by estar. The examples given below should be contrasted with those to be found in estar¹ cópula es bajo/muy callado = he's short/very quiet es sorda de nacimiento = she was born deaf es inglés/católico = he's English/(a) Catholic era cierto = it was true sé bueno, estate quieto = be a good boy and keep still que seas muy feliz = I hope you'll be very happy (+ me/te/le etc) siempre le he sido fiel = I've always been faithful to her ver tb imposible, difícil etc Definition of be in the British & World English dictionary Definition of be in the US English dictionary Translate be | into French | into German | into Italian

2 (hablando de estado civil) to be el mayor es casado = the oldest is married es viuda = she's a widow ver tb estar¹ cópula Definition of be in the British & World English dictionary Definition of be in the US English dictionary Translate be | into French | into German | into Italian

3 (seguido de nombre, pronombre) to be soy abogada = I'm a lawyer ábreme, soy yo = open the door, it's me Definition of be in the British & World English dictionary Definition of be in the US English dictionary Translate be | into French | into German | into Italian

4 (con predicado introducido por `de') esos zapatos son de plástico = those shoes are (made of) plastic soy de Córdoba = I'm from Cordoba es de los vecinos = it belongs to the neighbors, it's the neighbors' no soy de aquí = I'm not from around here

5 (hipótesis, futuro) será un error = it must be a mistake ¿será cierto? = can it be true?

1 a (existir) to be Definition of be in the British & World English dictionary Definition of be in the US English dictionary Translate be | into French | into German | into Italian • (liter) (en cuentos) érase una vez … = once upon a time there was … b (tener lugar, ocurrir) la fiesta va a ser en su casa = the party is going to be (held) at her house ¿dónde fue el accidente? = where did the accident happen? • (en preguntas) ¿qué habrá sido de él? = I wonder what happened to o what became of him ¿qué es de Marisa? (fam) = what's Marisa up to (these days)? (colloq) ¿qué va a ser de nosotros? = what will become of us? c (sumar) ¿cuánto es (todo)? = how much is that (altogether)? son 3.000 pesos = that'll be o that's 3,000 pesos somos diez en total = there are ten of us altogether d (indicando finalidad, adecuación) ser para algo = to be for sth este agua es para beber = this water is for drinking

2 (en locs) a no ser que (+ subj) = unless ¿cómo es eso? = why is that?, how come? (colloq) como/cuando/donde sea
tengo que conseguir ese trabajo como sea = I have to get that job no matter what hazlo como sea, pero hazlo = do it any way o however you want but get it done el lunes o cuando sea = next Monday or whenever puedo dormir en el sillón o donde sea = I can sleep in the armchair or wherever you like o anywhere you like de ser así (frml) = should this be so o the case (frml) ¡eso es! = that's it!, that's right! es que …
¿es que no lo saben? = do you mean to say they don't know? es que no sé nadar = the thing is I can't swim lo que sea
cómete una manzana, o lo que sea = have an apple or something estoy dispuesta a hacer lo que sea = I'm prepared to do whatever it takes o sea
en febrero, o sea hace un mes = in February, that is to say a month ago o sea que no te interesa = in other words, you're not interested o sea que nunca lo descubriste = so you never found out (ya) sea …, (ya) sea … = either …, or … sea como sea = at all costs sea cuando sea = whenever it is sea donde sea = no matter where sea quien sea = whoever it is si no fuera/hubiera sido por … = if it wasn't o weren't/hadn't been for …

3 (en el tiempo) to be ¿qué fecha es hoy? = what's the date today?, what's today's date serían las cuatro cuando llegó = it must have been (about) four (o'clock) when she arrived ver tb v impers Definition of be in the British & World English dictionary Definition of be in the US English dictionary Translate be | into French | into German | into Italian

to be era primavera = it was spring(time) Definition of be in the British & World English dictionary Definition of be in the US English dictionary Translate be | into French | into German | into Italian

(en la voz pasiva) to be fue construido en 1900 = it was built in 1900 Definition of be in the British & World English dictionary Definition of be in the US English dictionary Translate be | into French | into German | into Italian

1 a (ente) being ser humano/vivo = human/living being Definition of being in the British & World English dictionary Definition of being in the US English dictionary Translate being | into French | into German | into Italian b (individuo, persona) un ser querido = a loved one

2 (naturaleza) desde lo más profundo de mi ser = from the bottom of my heart

Subscriber login