36.7 Describing facts or information
To describe facts or information in subjective terms, as seen by the speaker, we use ser
rather than estar:
¡Es algo muy insólito!
It is something very unusual!
Lo que me has dicho es espantoso.
What you have told me is dreadful.^22 (p. 103)
36.8 Describing social manners
To describe someone’s social manners in general terms we use ser:
Él es una persona muy cariñosa.
He is a very affectionate person.
Ellos son muy bondadosos.
They are very kind.
Es un caballero.
He is a gentleman.
To describe someone’s social manners at a particular point in time we can use either ser
or estar:
Fue/estuvo muy amable conmigo.
He/she was very kind to me.
Fue/estuvo muy descortés con ellos.
He/she was very impolite to them.^22 (p. 103)
36.9 Describing the weather
To describe the weather, either in general terms or at a particular point in time, Spanish
normally uses the verb hacer, literally ‘to do’, ‘make’, followed by a noun (e.g. frío,
calor, viento, sol):
Aquí hace mucho calor en verano.
Here it is very warm in summer.
Hoy hace muchísimo frío.
It is very cold today.
Ayer no hizo frío.
It was not cold yesterday.
¡Ojalá haga bueno mañana!
I hope the weather is good tomorrow.71.1 (p. 399)
Describing the weather 36.9