2. Stative verbs describe a state rather than an action. They
aren't usually used in the present continuous form.
• I don't know the answer. I'm not knowing the answer.
• She really likes you. She's really liking you.
3. CATEGORIES
Stative verbs often relate to:
• Thoughts and opinions:
Expresan pensamientos y opiniones: agree, believe, doubt, guess, imagine,
know, mean, recognize, remember, suspect, think, understand.
• Feelings and emotions:
Expresan sentimientos y emociones: dislike, hate, like, love, prefer, want,
wish.
• Senses and perceptions:
Expresan sentidos y percepciones: appear, be, feel, hear, look, see, seem, smell,
taste.
• Possession and measurement:
Expresan posesión y medidas: belong, have, measure, own, possess, weigh.
4. Verbs that are sometimes stative
A number of verbs can refer to states or actions, depending on the context.
HAVE
I have an old car. (state – possession)
Are you having a good time? ¿Lo estás pasando bien? (action)
SEE
Do you see any problems with that? (state – opinion)
We're seeing Tadanari tomorrow afternoon. (action – we're meeting him)
5. BE
She is friendly —> Ella es amable. (state – her permanent quality)
She is being friendly —> Ella está siendo amable. (action – she is temporarily
behaving this way) Ella no suele amable; pero en ese momento lo está siendo. No es una característica
innata de esa persona.
THINK
I think it is wrong to smoke —> Pienso que está mal fumar (Opinion)
I’m thinking about buying a new car —> Estoy pensando en comprarme un
coche nuevo (Action in progress) El orador está procesando activamente pensamientos sobre algo.
6. TASTE
This coffee tastes good —> Este café sabe bien (state – our perception of the
coffee) Forma estática, está dando una opinión.
Look! The chef is tasting the soup. —> El chef está probando la comida (action
– tasting the soup is an activity) Forma dinámica, el cocinero está realizando una acción.
