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Year 7

What people are like: 'ser' and 'estar' in 3rd person plural

Learning outcomes

I can use the 3rd person plural of 'ser' and 'estar' to talk about what people are like and how they are feeling today.

I can pronounce sentences with the sounds [ce] and [ci].

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New
New
Year 7

What people are like: 'ser' and 'estar' in 3rd person plural

Learning outcomes

I can use the 3rd person plural of 'ser' and 'estar' to talk about what people are like and how they are feeling today.

I can pronounce sentences with the sounds [ce] and [ci].

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Lesson details

Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons

Key learning points

  1. The sound symbol correspondence [ce] is pronounced as in 'cerca'.
  2. The sound symbol correspondence [ci] is pronounced as in 'cierto'.
  3. The verb 'ser' means 'to be, being' and is used for permanent traits. 'Son' means 'they are'.
  4. The verb 'estar' means 'to be, being' and is used for temporary states. 'Están' means 'they are'.
  5. In Spanish, adjectives must always agree in gender and number with the nouns they refer to.

Keywords

  • Son - part of the verb 'ser' meaning they are and used to talk about permanent traits

  • Están - part of the verb 'estar' meaning they are and used to talk about temporary states

Common misconception

To say 'they are' it does not matter which verb 'to be' we use.

In Spanish there are two verbs 'to be'; we say 'son' (they are) to describe permanent traits, and 'están' (they are) to describe temporary states.


To help you plan your year 7 spanish lesson on: What people are like: 'ser' and 'estar' in 3rd person plural, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

The teacher might choose to do the speaking task B4 as a written activity to conolidate spelling of the new vocabulary and both verbs 'to be'.
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This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the English to the Spanish.
Correct Answer:bored, boring,aburrido
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aburrido

Correct Answer:claro,light
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light

Correct Answer:feliz,happy
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happy

Correct Answer:loco,crazy
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crazy

Correct Answer:moreno,tanned; dark-skinned, dark-haired
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tanned; dark-skinned, dark-haired

Correct Answer:oscuro,dark
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dark

Q2.
Translate into Spanish: ¿Puedo ir al baño?
Can I use the pen?
Can I ask a question?
Correct answer: Can I go to the toilet?
Can I ask a favour?
Can I have the answer?
Q3.
Choose the adjectives which could finish this sentence: Aisha es bastante .
activo
Correct answer: fuerte
Correct answer: activa
hermoso
Correct answer: hermosa
Q4.
Choose the adjectives which could finish this sentence: Los compañeros están .
aburridas
Correct answer: locos
Correct answer: fuertes
Correct answer: felices
rojas
Q5.
Translate into Spanish: We (mix of boys and girls) are tanned.
Correct Answer: Estamos morenos.
Q6.
Translate into Spanish: We (girls) are active (in general).
Correct Answer: Somos activas.

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the English to the Spanish.
Correct Answer:cousin (f),la prima
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la prima

Correct Answer:cousin (m),el primo
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el primo

Correct Answer:dog,el perro
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el perro

Correct Answer:grandpa,el abuelo
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el abuelo

Correct Answer:grandma,la abuela
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la abuela

Correct Answer:cousins (mixed f and m),los primos
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los primos

Q2.
Choose the correct adjective to complete this sentence: ¡El abuelo está !
loca
locas
locos
Correct answer: loco
Q3.
'The cousins are bored now.' Write the correct adjective: 'Los primos están ahora.'
Correct Answer: aburridos
Q4.
Match the Spanish permanent trait verb 'to be' with its English meaning.
Correct Answer:soy,I am (in general)
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I am (in general)

Correct Answer:eres,you are (in general)
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you are (in general)

Correct Answer:es,she, he, it is (in general)
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she, he, it is (in general)

Correct Answer:somos,we are (in general)
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we are (in general)

Correct Answer:son,they are (in general)
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they are (in general)

Correct Answer:ser,to be, being (in general)
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to be, being (in general)

Q5.
Match the Spanish temporary state verb 'to be' with its English meaning.
Correct Answer:estoy,I am (now)
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I am (now)

Correct Answer:estás,you are (now)
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you are (now)

Correct Answer:está,she, he, it is (now)
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she, he, it is (now)

Correct Answer:estamos,we are (now)
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we are (now)

Correct Answer:están,they are (now)
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they are (now)

Correct Answer:estar,to be, being (now)
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to be, being (now)

Q6.
Which sentence means 'they are tanned'?
Correct answer: Están morenos.
Son morenos.

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