"You and I are friends."
Translation:Tú y yo somos amigos.
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1569
Somos is the nosotros conjugation of ser. It means "we are" and is used when you're talking about a group that includes the speaker ("we").
Son is the ellos/ellas and ustedes form of ser, so it translates as "they are" or "you are". It's used when you're talking to a group ("you", plural), or about a group that doesn't include the speaker or the listener ("they").
Thank you for this thorough explanation. I answered incorrectly and now it's clear to me why.
Thank you so much! I have been trying to find the answer to how to know when to use somos/son. Your explanation makes perfect sense! I love reading these chats because usually my question has already been answered!
"You and I" = "we" which requires "somos". Also, the verb to use here is " ser", not "estar".
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A form of ser is used here because the predicate object (the thing to the right of the verb) is a noun. If you have a noun object, you use ser. Estar only takes adjectives (unless it's part of a verbal construction, of course).
Yes. Call it what you will, but in Romance languages, a group is feminine only if it is exclusively comprised of women. If a single man is included, it is masculine. At minimum, this is the case for Spanish and French, but this may also be out of date as it was a rule of thumb I learned in middle school French over a decade ago.
Ser is used in DOCTOR:
Description Origin Characteristics Time Occupation Relation
Hence, the use of somos vs estamos
Sorry, but yours doesn't explain much. These links do much better. https://www.duolingo.com/skill/es/To-Be%3A-Ser_Estar/tips-and-notes http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/100040/ser-vs.-estar
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I was always taught in class that ser was for permanence, whereas estar is for things that may change (rough rule). I'm coming back to learning the grammar again after stepping away from it for years, so I'm just curious why 'we are friends' is not a state that would/could change (therefore using estar).
Are there exceptions that I have missed along the way, or is it that some things just are what they are in Spanish (as with other languages)?
The temporary vs permanent distinction is vastly over-relied on. It creates a major oversimplification. Here are some links:
https://www.spanishdict.com/guide/ser-vs-estar http://studyspanish.com/grammar/lessons/serest3 A quote from this: “the fundamental difference between ser and estar – essence or condition (“what” something is v. “how” something is.” (the state of things)
http://www.spanish.bz/blog/2004/06/lesson-from-newsletter-49descriptions.htm “Estar + past participle is used to describe the state of things, or how things seem right at the moment (but not necessarily permanently). “
For example,
la puerta está cerrada = the door is closed.
Los perros están perdidos = the dogs are lost
The permanence vs temporary is vastly overused/ believed. It is a unfortunate simplification.
Here is another version: "The verb estar is used for health and location [in the past tense] while ser is used for everything else. " https://www.brighthubeducation.com/learning-spanish/9061-using-ser-and-estar-in-the-past-tense/
Is “ustedes y yo son amigos” too much of a stretch? Thought I would try it but the owl hated my attempt.
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You have to see who that resulting group consists of. Since the speaker is including themself in the group they're talking about, the resulting group will be a "we", so you have to use somos here. Basically, "You and I, we are friends."
Which exact translation of "you" you use here doesn't matter. It'll always be somos.
I used estamos instead of somos and got it wrong. I was working on the basis that friendship is not a permanent state, like being a brother or sister is. You can't stop being a brother or sister, you can certainly stop being someone's friend. estar and ser can be confusing!
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Somos is the nosotros form, used when "we" are something. Son is the ellos/ellas and ustedes form, used when "they" or "you all" are something.
I always thought that the Tu y yo was implied if you use the -amos conjugation. In conversation, could I have just said "Somos amigos"?
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Kevin, you can just say "somos amigos", but adding "tú y yo" makes it more clear who you're talking about. Just like with the English "we", the nosotros form only says that you're talking about two or more people, one of which is you. So it can represent "tú/usted y yo", "él/ella y yo", "ustedes y yo", "ellos/ellas y yo" or any combination thereof.
