estar + Participle
Resulting States: Estar + Participle
Estar + participle describes the resulting state: A tenda está pechada (the shop is closed). The participle agrees like an adjective: Os deberes están feitos (the homework is done).
How It Works
Agreement
The participle matches the subject: O libro está rematado, A carta está escrita, Os pratos están lavados, As portas están abertas.
Irregular participles are common here: está feito, está dito, está posto, está aberto. See irregular participles.
With xa and aínda non. Xa está feito (it is already done), Aínda non está rematado (it is not finished yet).
Body positions and feelings. Many everyday states use this pattern: estar sentado (to be seated), estar deitado (to be lying down), estar durmido (to be asleep), estar cansado, estar preocupado, estar casado.
Estar vs ser. As in ser vs estar, estar describes a condition: A ponte está rematada (the bridge is finished). Ser + participle names the action: A ponte foi construída en 1900 (the bridge was built in 1900).
Quedar for a change of state. A porta quedou aberta (the door was left open). For something that happens by itself, see a porta abriuse.
Examples (6)
- A tenda está pechada os domingos.
The shop is closed on Sundays.
Word by Word: The shop is closed the Sundays.
Pechada agrees with tenda (feminine singular).
- Os deberes xa están feitos.
The homework is already done.
Feitos agrees with deberes (masculine plural).
- As fiestras están abertas desde onte.
The windows have been open since yesterday.
Abertas agrees with fiestras.
- Estou moi preocupada pola avoa.
I am very worried about Grandma.
A woman is speaking, so the participle is feminine.
- A cea está servida!
Dinner is served!
Servida agrees with cea.
- O neno está durmido no sofá.
The child is asleep on the sofa.
Durmido, from durmir, describes a state, not an action.
Common Mistakes
Not making the participle agree in gender.
A porta está aberto.A porta está aberta.The participle agrees with porta, which is feminine.
Not making the participle agree in number.
Os deberes están feito.Os deberes están feitos.Deberes is plural, so the participle is plural too.
Using a regular participle for an irregular verb.
Os deberes xa están facidos.Os deberes xa están feitos.The participle of facer is feito, and here it agrees as feitos.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Estar with a participle describes the state resulting from an action.
Related Patterns
- Irregular Past Participles
The irregular participles, such as feito and aberto, often used with estar.
Level 3 - ser / estarSer vs. Estar
The general difference between ser and estar that this pattern follows.
Level 1 - ser + ParticipleThe Passive with Ser
The passive with ser, which names the action instead of the result.
Level 4 - Adjective Agreement
Participles agree exactly like adjectives.
Level 1 - Things That Happen by Themselves
Describing a change that happens by itself, rather than the resulting state.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice estar + Participle in Bubblegum
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