Word
Cuando mi hermana está distraída, toca todos los botones del mando y pierde la partida.
Meaning
When my sister is distracted, she presses all the buttons on the controller and loses the game.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Lesson
Breakdown of Cuando mi hermana está distraída, toca todos los botones del mando y pierde la partida.
mi
my
estar
to be
cuando
when
y
and
Questions & Answers about Cuando mi hermana está distraída, toca todos los botones del mando y pierde la partida.
Why is it está distraída and not es distraída?
Spanish uses estar for temporary states or conditions and ser for more permanent or defining characteristics.
- está distraída = “she is distracted (right now / in that moment / in that situation).”
→ A temporary mental state. - es distraída = “she is (a) scatter‑brained / absent‑minded (in general, as a trait).”
→ A personality characteristic.
In this sentence we’re talking about a situation in which she becomes distracted and then presses all the buttons and loses the game, so a temporary state fits better → está distraída.
Why does distraída end in -a? Does it change with gender and number?
Distraída is the feminine singular form of the adjective distraído, -a (distracted).
Adjectives must agree with the noun in gender and number:
- mi hermana está distraída
- hermana is feminine singular → distraída (feminine singular)
- mi hermano está distraído
- hermano is masculine singular → distraído
Plural examples:
- Mis hermanas están distraídas (feminine plural)
- Mis hermanos están distraídos (masculine or mixed plural)
So the ending changes to match the subject.
Why is the present tense used (está, toca, pierde) if this describes something that happens repeatedly?