State words
What state is someone or something in now?
Significado
We can describe the condition someone or something is in at a particular moment. This may be a temporary condition or one left by an earlier event. Languages use adjectives, verbs, or phrases, and some have no special word forms for states. Unlike Qualities, State words draws attention to the condition at that moment rather than a general feature.
Como identificar
Look for words or phrases that describe someone's or something's condition at that moment, rather than what they are generally like.
Na tua língua materna
Estar commonly introduces a condition viewed as the current situation, not necessarily a short-lived one. Ficar can describe entering or remaining in a state, depending on tense and context. Adjectives and past participles used as state words match the subject in masculine or feminine gender and singular or plural.
A porta está fechada.
The sentence describes the door's state, not the action of closing it.
O cabelo da Bia ficou molhado com a chuva.
Ficou presents the change into the wet state.
As crianças estão cansadas depois do passeio.
Both the verb and the state word match the plural subject.
Na tua língua de aprendizagem
English often uses adjectives after be, feel, or seem to describe a state. Forms such as closed and broken can describe a condition left by an earlier action. In full statements using be, its present-tense form cannot be left out.
I'm tired.
Tired describes how the speaker feels; 'm is the shortened form of am.
The window is closed.
This describes the window's state, not who closed it.
Are you ready?
Ready describes the listener's current state.
Learners whose language describes states without a verb may leave out am, is, or are. Learners whose language uses an action-like form for a state may use an -ing form where English needs an adjective, such as tired.