Spanish conjugation explanation
Participle agreement with Ser/Estar
<p>When using the auxiliary verb
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/haber/" title="Click to see conjugations for haber" target="_blank">haber</a>
to form compound tenses (like the<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/114/" target="_blank">Present Perfect</a>
), the past participle is<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/conjugationExplanation/spanish_past_participle_agreement_haber/" target="_blank">always invariable</a>
(it always ends in <strong style="font-style: italic;">-o</strong>).</p><p>However, when the past participle is used with
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/estar/" title="Click to see conjugations for estar" target="_blank">estar</a>
or<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/ser/" title="Click to see conjugations for ser" target="_blank">ser</a>
, it functions as an <strong>adjective</strong>. Therefore, it <strong>must agree</strong> in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the subject acts upon.</p><div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Agreement with Estar</div>
<p>We use
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/estar/" title="Click to see conjugations for estar" target="_blank">estar</a>
+ participle to describe the <strong>state</strong> or condition of the subject, usually resulting from a previous action.</p><ul>
<li>
<div><strong>Masculine Singular:</strong></div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="brown_emphasis">El banco</span> está <span class="green_emphasis">abierto</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">The bank is open.</span>)</div>
</li>
<li>
<div><strong>Feminine Plural:</strong></div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="brown_emphasis">Las ventanas</span> están <span class="green_emphasis">abiertas</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">The windows are open.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence_note">Note: Since <span style="font-style: italic;">ventanas</span> is feminine and plural, the participle must end in <strong>-as</strong>.</div>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Agreement with Ser</div>
<p>We use
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/ser/" title="Click to see conjugations for ser" target="_blank">ser</a>
+ participle to form the <strong>passive voice</strong> (when an action is performed <em>on</em> the subject). Just like with <span style="font-style: italic;">estar</span>, the participle must agree with the subject receiving the action.</p><ul>
<li>
<div><strong>Feminine Singular:</strong></div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="brown_emphasis">La carta</span> fue <span class="green_emphasis">escrita</span> por mi madre. (<span style="font-style: italic;">The letter was written by my mother.</span>)</div>
</li>
<li>
<div><strong>Masculine Plural:</strong></div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="brown_emphasis">Los edificios</span> fueron <span class="green_emphasis">construidos</span> el año pasado. (<span style="font-style: italic;">The buildings were built last year.</span>)</div>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Comparison Guide</div>
<p>Here is how the participle of the verb
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/conservarse/" title="Click to see conjugations for conservarse" target="_blank">conservarse</a>
(to be preserved) changes depending on the auxiliary verb:</p><div class="table_container">
<div class="three_column_table">
<div><strong>Auxiliary</strong></div>
<div><strong>Example</strong></div>
<div><strong>Rule</strong></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">Haber</span></div>
<div>Ella ha <strong>conservado</strong> las fotos.</div>
<div>Always <strong>-o</strong></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">Estar</span></div>
<div>Las fotos están <strong>conservadas</strong>.</div>
<div>Agrees with Subject</div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">Ser</span></div>
<div>Las fotos fueron <strong>conservadas</strong>.</div>
<div>Agrees with Subject</div>
</div>
</div>







