Questions & Answers about El juez es majo y responsable.
Why is it es and not está in El juez es majo y responsable?
Spanish uses ser (es) for more permanent or characteristic qualities, and estar (está) for temporary states or conditions.
In El juez es majo y responsable:
- majo (nice, pleasant) and responsable (responsible) are seen as part of the judge’s character, not just how he is today.
- So Spanish treats them as essential traits, and that calls for ser → es.
If you used está here (El juez está majo y responsable), it would sound strange or joking, as if:
- he happens to be acting nice and responsible right now, temporarily,
- or you are commenting on his mood/appearance in a very unusual way.
In normal, standard use, it must be es.
Why do we say El juez es majo y responsable and not just Es juez majo y responsable?