1.9 Stative verbs

Most main verbs have both simple and continuous forms, but some verbs usually only have simple forms. These verbs do not describe actions, but states. The main ones are:

• Verbs describing certain mental states: forget, know, notice, recognise, remember, understand, e.g.:

Does Jenny know Peter? (¿Jenny conoce a Peter?)

Paul didn't remember the bread. (Paul no se acordó del pan.)

• Verbs for feelings: hate, like, love, prefer, want, e.g.:

A: Do you like this music? (¿Te gusta esta música?) B: Yes, I love it. (Sí, me encanta.)

• The verbs for the senses: see, hear, smell, taste.

I didn't see the match but I heard the news on the radio. (No vi el partido pero oí la noticia en la radio.)

	See also verbs of the senses.

• The verbs be, cost, fit, have, include, mean, need, own, matter, weigh, e.g.:

Those shoes cost one hundred euros. (Aquellos zapatos cuestan cien euros.)

It doesn't matter. (No importa.)

How much do you weigh? (¿Cuánto pesas?)

Notice that several of these verbs have other meanings referring to actions. These meanings have both simple and continuous forms, e.g.: Ken has a shower every morning. (Ken se ducha cada mañana.) Ken is having a shower now. (Ken se está duchando ahora.) A: What is that man weighing? (¿Qué está pesando aquel hombre?) B: He's weighing the sacks. (Está pesando los sacos.) Notice in particular how we express saber, enterarse and conocer, etc., in past time: Sabía que era profesora. (I knew she was a teacher.) Me enteré del accidente ayer. (I found out (not: knew) about the accident yesterday.) No conocía a su familia. (I didn't know her family.) ¿Dónde conociste a tu marido? (Where did you meet (not: know) your husband?)