The difference between ser and estar
One of the first things you discover when you start learning Spanish is that there are two words for the verb ‘to be’: ser and estar. So in Spanish—to paraphrase Shakespeare—the question is: ‘to be or to be’? In this article we briefly explain when you use one and when you use the other.
When do you use ser and estar?
In short, it works like this:
| Ser | Estar | |
| - Qualities - Profession - Nationality - Expressions of time, dates, days and events - Ownership |
- Temporary ownership or state - Position and location - Actions - Emotions |
Conjugating ser and estar
If you know which context you need to use ser or estar for, you can choose the right conjugation. As in many other languages, most commonly-used verbs in Spanish are irregular.
| Ser | Estar | |
| Yo soy Tú eres Él/Ella/Usted es Nosotros/Nosotras somos Vosotros sois Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes son |
Yo estoy Tú estás Él/Ella/Usted está Nosotros/Nosotras estamos Vosotros estáis Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes están |
The examples below show you which verb is used with which form.
|
Yo soy Sara. |
I am Sarah. |
|
Soy profesora de español. |
I am a Spanish teacher. |
|
Ahora es la una. |
It is one o’clock. |
|
Ana es de España. |
Ana comes/is from Spain. |
|
Mi abuela está sentada. |
My grandmother is sitting. |
|
Estoy triste. |
I am sad. |
|
Estamos en Madrid. |
We are in Madrid. |
|
Juan es muy simpático. |
Juan is very nice/friendly. |
The effect on adjectives
Some adjectives take on a different meaning, depending on whether you use them with ser or estar.
|
Ser abierto |
To be sincere |
Estar abierto |
To be open |
|
Ser aburrido |
To be dull, tiring |
Estar aburrido |
To be bored |
|
Ser bueno |
To be good |
Estar bueno |
To be tasty or attractive |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ser listo |
To be smart |
Estar listo |
To be ready |
|
Ser rico |
To be rich |
Estar rico |
To be tasty |
|
Ser seguro |
To be safe |
Estar segmenturo |
To be sure |
|
Ser verde |
To be green |
Estar verde |
To be unripe |
|
Ser viejo |
To be old |
Estar viejo |
To look old |
|
Ser vivo |
To be sharp/astute |
Estar vivo |
To be alive |
Beyond ser and estar?
If you want to learn Spanish, look beyond the grammatical rules. At Regina Coeli, you will learn to speak Spanish from the very start while learning the language you need for your daily life or work.
Please contact us to discuss how we can help you! If you would like to know more about how we work, we suggest viewing these pages:
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