_El trabajo es buen compañero de la esperanza._[1]
--MARTÍNEZ SIERRA.
=1.= English _to be_ is generally translated into Spanish by =ser= or
=estar=, the former with the general idea of permanency, the latter
indicating temporary state. Location is _always_ expressed by =estar=.
_I, who was white, am also brown, because the sun has kissed me._
=Yo, que era blanca, estoy también morena, porque el sol me ha
besado.=--MARTÍNEZ SIERRA.
(_a_) In expressions referring to the weather _to be_ is rendered
by =hacer=, _to make_, the descriptive adjective becoming in Spanish
a noun of corresponding meaning.
_It was suffocatingly hot._
=Hacía un calor sofocante.=--PALACIO VALDÉS.
_It was very cold in the city to-day._
=Hacía mucho frío hoy en la ciudad.=
_Note._--In all such expressions _very_ must be translated =mucho=,
since =calor=, =frío=, etc., are nouns.
(_b_) When used with a predicate adjective indicating mental or
physical state, _to be_ is translated by =tener=, the adjective
changing to a noun of corresponding meaning.
The commonest of these expressions are _to be hungry_, _thirsty_,
_hot_, _cold_, _sleepy_, _afraid_, _right_, _careful_, _jealous_,
which are rendered =tener hambre=, =sed=, =calor=, =frío=, =sueño=, =miedo=,
=razón=, =cuidado=, =celos=.
_Uncle is right. That can't hurt him._
=Tiene razón el tío. Eso no puede hacerle mal.=--RAMOS CARRIÓN.
_While I am so cold I don't want to go out._
=Mientras tengo tanto frío no quiero salir.=
_I wasn't hungry but I was very sleepy._
=No tenía hambre pero tenía mucho sueño.=
_Note._--In all similar expressions _so_ is rendered =tanto=. Cf.
note to (_a_) above.
(_c_) Many phrases consisting of the verb _to be_ and an adjective
denoting age or dimension are translated by =tener= and a noun. Such
are _to be old_, _wide_, _long_, _high_, etc., rendered =tener edad=,
=anchura=, =longitud=, =altitud=. Note also _to be to blame_, _one's
fault_, =tener la culpa=; _to be successful_, =tener éxito=.
_How old are these children?_
=¿Qué edad tienen estos niños?=
_The ribbon is two inches wide._
=La cinta tiene dos pulgadas de anchura.=
(_d_) _To be at_ meaning _to attend_ is translated =asistir a=.
_There were not many at the meeting last night._
=No asistían muchos a la reunión de anoche.=
(_e_) _To be worth_ is translated =valer=. _To be worth while_ is
=valer la pena=.
_I don't know how much it is and it isn't worth while to ask._
=No sé cuanto vale y no vale la pena de preguntar.=
=2.= =EXERCISES=
(_a_) 1. Hacía tanto calor que no podíamos dormir aunque teníamos mucho
sueño. 2. Ya no tenemos miedo de nada. 3. Dice que tiene mucho frío. 4.
Nos preguntaron si teníamos hambre. 5. Usted cree que este hombre tiene
razón. Pues yo creo que no la tiene. 6. La mesa tiene cuatro pies de
longitud y tres de anchura. 7. Yo no tengo la culpa de que no asistieron
al teatro anoche. 8. Dígale que tendré mucho gusto en aceptar su amable
invitación y asistir al concierto. 9. Ha hecho tanto frío hoy como si
fuéramos en el mes de diciembre. 10. Estoy seguro de que usted tendrá
mucho éxito.
(_b_) 1. Don't be afraid of the dog. He will not bite you. 2. How wide
is this river? 3. If you are so hungry, why don't you eat? 4. Is it my
fault that they are not here yet? 5. It is too cold in this room. Close
the door. 6. The living-room is longer than the dining-room, but it is
not so wide. 7. I don't feel like (_am not desirous of_) studying
to-night. 8. I wasn't at school the day that the President visited it.
9. I gave him the money although I knew that the thing wasn't worth it.
10. It is cool to-day. It was so warm yesterday.