The difference between ESTAR and SER
Many Spanish students get confused about when to use ‘ser’ or ‘estar’ which both mean ‘to be.’
To be or not to be, that is the question, and one which we hope to answer in today’s blog!
SER
Ser is one of the most frequently used verbs in Spanish, and also an irregular one. The present tense conjugation is:
| Yo soy |
| Tú eres |
| él/ella/usted es |
| Nostros/nostras somos |
| Vostros/vostras sois |
| Ellos/ellas/ustedes son |
We use ser when referring to a permanent state. Below is a list of descriptions that are expected to be permanent:
ESTAR
When you are talking about a state that is not permanent, you use the verb estar:
| Yo estoy |
| Tú estás |
| él/ella/usted está |
| Nostros/nostras estamos |
| Vostros/vostras estáis |
| Ellos/ellas/ustedes están |
Below is a list of descriptions that are not expected to be permanent:
Physical conditions e.g. clean/dirty/full/empty
Mental or emotional feelings e.g. sad/happy/angry/tired
But watch out, there are exceptions to estar! DO NOT use estar to describe feeling hungry, thirsty, hot, or cold, however. Instead, you will use the verb tener (to have)
Test Yourself! – Fill in the blanks with the right conjugation of either ser or estar:
_____ mujer (I am a woman)
____ muy bella (You are very beautiful)
____ muy alegre (I am very happy)
____ de aquí (We are from here)
Cómo ____? (How are you?)
Carmen ____ enferma (Carmen is sick)
____ las ocho y media (It is eight thirty)
Answers:
Soy mujer
Eres muy bella
Yo estoy muy alegre
Nostros somos de aquí
Cómo estás?
Carmen está enferma
Son las ocho y media
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