Este libro fue escrito por un amigo mío.
This book was written by a friend of mine.
(f) With an adjective denoting membership of a class or group:
Pilar es española. Pilar is Spanish (a Spaniard). 34.2.1 (p. 205)
(g) With an adjective which denotes an attribute which is considered an inherent
property of the subject:
La nieve es blanca. (see 36.1)
Snow is white.
Este libro es triste.
The book is sad.
El clima de Galicia es húmedo. (see 36.9)
The climate in Galicia is wet.
¿Cómo es tu amigo? (see 36.3.2)
What is your friend like?NOTE Useful tests in English are to see whether a noun phrase can be substituted for the adjective
without substantial diference in meaning resulting, e.g. Mi tío es rico‘My uncle is rich’=‘my
uncle is a rich man’, or whether the phrase ‘a(n)adjective kind/sort of noun’ can be substituted
for the adjective, e.g. Tu pregunta es vacía‘Your question is an empty sort of question’.
^36 (p. 212)
(h) With an adjective when the subject noun denotes an abstract idea or a proposition:
Decir eso no sería muy prudente.
Saying that wouldn’t be very wise.
Tus ideas son muy extrañas.
Your ideas are very strange.^36 (p. 212)
(i) With a prepositional phrase (e.g. de la ciudad) which functions like the adjectives
referred to above:
Juan es de Madrid. (see 34.2.2)
Juan is from Madrid.
Su reloj es de oro. (see 36.5.2)
His/her watch is made of gold.^36 (p. 212)
(j) On its own, ser denotes existence or identity:
–¿Cuántos somos? ‘How many of us are there?’
–Somos cinco. ‘There are five of us.’SER AND ESTAR 22.1