bottles are recycled: verb or adjective?

SnowGirl

SnowGirl

Senior Member
Missouri
English - US
I have two questions about phrases like "bottles are recycled."

First, do I use ser or estar?

  • Las botellas son recicladas.
  • Las botellas están reciclados.
Second, is "recycled" a verb or does it describe the bottles?

  • Las botellas son recicladas.
  • Las botellas son reciclados. (I believe that I would use -as if I use son.)
Thank you for your help. I hope I have chosen a good example for my question. If I have not, please use another phrase to help me learn!
 
    • SnowGirl said:
    I have two questions about phrases like "bottles are recycled."

    First, do I use ser or estar?

    • Las botellas son recicladas.:tick: (passive voice of the verb reciclar)
    • Las botellas están reciclados.:cross:
    Second, is "recycled" a verb (Yes, it's the participle) :tick: or does it describe the bottles? It doesn't describe the bottles, because they are made of "recycled glass".

    • Las botellas son recicladas.:tick:
    • Las botellas son reciclados.:cross: (I believe that I would use -as if I use son.) Not because you do use son, but due to bottles (fem.)
    Thank you for your help. I hope I have chosen a good example for my question. If I have not, please use another phrase to help me learn!
    Click to expand...

    After used, the bottle is recycled to become recycled glass in order to obtain a new bottle.
     
    Actually, it depends on what you mean. "Las botellas están recicladas" means "the bottles have been recycled" (se encuentran en un estado reciclado) while "Las botellas son recicladas" is the passive voice (and I would normally expect a compliment (like "by a company...") when using this construct)

    Another option would be "Se reciclan las botellas" which is more neutral in its meaning.

    In any case, you should use "recicladas". "Las botellas son/están reciclados" is always wrong.
     
    Oh! I didn't realize that "Las botellas son/están reciclados" is always wrong."

    I can't believe I didn't know this. I thought it depended on whether the participle was used as an adjective or a noun.

    Thank you so much!
     
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