dealing as it does with etymology, presents Latin in the capital letters used by the Romans, and modern innovations such as , , ligatures, macrons, and breves have been avoided. Only the basic simple tenses are given in the conjugation tables, but all languages below have also numerous compound tenses. The asterisk (*) indicates an incorrect or unattested form. Spanish Spanish copulas The Spanish copulas are ser and estar. The latter developed as follows: → *estare → estar The copula ser developed from two Latin verbs. Thus its inflectional paradigm is a combination: most of it derives from (to be) but the present subjunctive appears to come from (to sit) via the Old Spanish verb seer. E.g. derivation from : → sea (1st person singular, present tense, subjunctive mood) Derivation from : → somos (1st person plural, present tense, indicative mood) The infinitive (on which the modern future and conditional are based) could have derived from either or both: → èssere (as in Italian) → ésser (as in Catalan) → ser → *seder → seer → ser In the early part of the second millennium, in texts such as the Cantar de Mio Cid, ser was still used mostly as in Latin, and there was little place for estar; sentences like Es pagado, e davos su amor, "He is satisfied, and he gives you his favour" are found, where modern Spanish might have Queda contento, or Está satisfecho, y le da su favor. As the centuries went by, estar spread in use. Today, ser is used to express the fundamental nature, identity, essence, or characteristics of something – what it really is, while estar expresses the state or condition something happens to be in. Indeed, ser is etymologically related to the English words "essence" and "is", and estar with "state", "status", "standing", "stance" and "stay". The distinction is parallel with the concept of essence versus accident. The verb quedar (which also has the specific meanings of "to remain", "to be as a result" and others) is often used in a similar way to estar. It derives from the Latin ( in the infinitive), "to rest". Ser Estar † Archaic. †† Estar is usually made reflexive in the imperative. Nuance Él es sucio = "He is dirty" (i.e. "He is a dirty person" – characteristic) Él está sucio = "He is dirty" (i.e. "He has some dirt on him" – state)