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Esos libros están en oferta.

Esos libros están en oferta.
Those books are on sale.
FromLesson 42inHardcore Spanish (Latin America)

Breakdown of Esos libros están en oferta.

el libro
the book
estar
to be
esos
those
en oferta
on sale

Questions & Answers about Esos libros están en oferta.

Why is it están and not son?

Spanish uses estar for temporary states or conditions. Being “on sale” is temporary, so están fits. Ser is for inherent traits or for events.

  • Correct: Esos libros están en oferta.
  • Contrast: Esos libros son baratos. (inherently cheap)
  • Note: Esos libros son en oferta is incorrect; ser + en is for events (e.g., La reunión es en la sala).
What’s the difference between esos, estos, and aquellos?

They’re demonstratives that mark distance:

  • estos = these, near the speaker.
  • esos = those, near the listener or at medium distance.
  • aquellos = those (over there), far from both. In much of Latin America, speakers use ese a lot for most “that” cases, and reserve aquel for extra distance or to refer back to something mentioned earlier.
Why the preposition en? Can I use de, a, or por?
  • estar en oferta is the most standard, pan-Hispanic way to say “to be on sale (discounted).”
  • estar de oferta is also very common in Latin America and usually means the same thing.
  • estar a la venta means “to be for sale (available to buy),” not necessarily discounted.
  • por oferta is not used for this meaning.
What’s the difference between en oferta and en venta?
  • en oferta = at a reduced price/discounted.
  • en venta = for sale/available to purchase (no discount implied). Example: La casa está en venta, but it’s only en oferta if its price has been cut.
Why does están have an accent mark?
Spanish stress rules: words ending in a vowel, n, or s are normally stressed on the next-to-last syllable. Without the accent, estan would be pronounced ES-tan. The accent forces es-TÁN. Similarly, está (he/she/it is) vs esta (this, fem.) are distinguished by the accent.
Does esos ever take an accent like ésos?
Not in modern standard usage. The RAE recommends writing demonstratives without accents even when used as pronouns. You may see ésos in older texts, but here esos is a determiner and should not carry an accent.
How does agreement work in esos libros están…?
  • esos (masculine plural) matches libros (masculine plural).
  • The verb is plural: están. Singular: Ese libro está en oferta. Feminine plural: Esas revistas están en oferta.
Is oferta an adjective here?
No. oferta is a noun; en oferta is a prepositional phrase functioning as a predicate complement (“in a sale/discount state”). You do see de oferta used in noun–noun compounds like precio de oferta or artículo de oferta (“sale price,” “sale item”).
How do I turn it into a yes/no question?

Two very natural options:

  • ¿Están en oferta esos libros?
  • ¿Esos libros están en oferta? Both are correct; the first is a bit more common.
What are other natural ways to say this in Latin America?
  • Esos libros están en promoción.
  • Esos libros están rebajados.
  • Esos libros tienen descuento.
  • Esos libros están en liquidación. (clearance)
  • Esos libros están a mitad de precio.
  • More formal: Esos libros se encuentran en oferta.
  • With hay: Hay una oferta en esos libros.
Can I drop the verb in a sign or ad?

Yes, headlines often omit it:

  • Libros en oferta
  • En oferta: libros
  • Ofertas en libros
Any quick pronunciation tips?
  • Stress: e-SOS LI-bros es-TÁN en o-FER-ta.
  • The b in libros is a soft “b” between vowels.
  • The r in oferta is a single flap (like the American English “tt” in “butter” for many speakers).
Can I replace esos with los, and what changes?

Yes:

  • Los libros están en oferta. = The books (probably known from context) are on sale; more general.
  • Esos libros están en oferta. = Those specific books (not near the speaker) are on sale. Don’t say Esos los libros; you use either esos or los, not both together.
What’s the nuance among oferta, rebaja, and descuento?
  • oferta: a promotional offer; the item is being promoted at a lower price.
  • rebaja: a markdown/reduction in price (often used for seasonal sales).
  • descuento: the actual discount (e.g., 20% off). You can say tiene un 20% de descuento.
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“How does verb conjugation work in Spanish?”
Spanish verbs change form based on the subject, tense, and mood. Regular verbs follow predictable patterns depending on whether they end in ‑ar, ‑er, or ‑ir. For example, "hablar" (to speak) becomes "hablo" (I speak), "hablas" (you speak), and "habla" (he/she speaks) in the present tense.

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