Quick Takeaways
- Ser and estar are the two verbs most frequently used as the equivalent of the English "to be."
- Ser typically is used in describing the nature of someone or something.
- Estar typically is used in referring to a state of being that isn't necessarily innate.
- Use ser to describe someone's or something's nature or identity. ...
- Use estar to talk about about someone's or something's state. ...
- Use ser to talk about time and events. ...
- Use estar to talk about someone's or something's location.
What's the difference between Estar and Ser?
Estar versus Ser comparison chart
| Estar | Ser | |
| Uses | Position, Location, Action, Condition an ... | Description, Occupation, Characteristic, ... |
| Time frame | Temporary | Permanent or long term |
| Refers to | A noun’s condition | A noun’s essence |
Should I use 'Ser' or 'estar'?
Note that when you talk about the ‘taste’ of food you use estar, but when you talk about the general ‘quality’ or ‘essence’ of food you use ser. If you want to talk about the temperature of people, instead of using ser or estar, you must use the Spanish verb tener.
When do you use Ser or estar?
Using ser, instead of estar when you intend to describe how a person is feeling in a specific moment in time. It is technically correct to say, for example, that your friend es feliz (is happy). As we have mentioned, if your friend is inherently happy all the time (or is an optimistic person), we would use the verb ser.
Why do we use Ser an estar?
Ser sets up an atemporal relationship, whereas estar sets up a temporal relationship. That means that when we use ser, we are abstracting the meaning from anything to do with time and duration. We could imagine it as a simple “=” sign. Estar establishes the possession of an attribute for a period of time.
What are the 5 uses of estar?
The Main Uses of EstarTo indicate a state or condition, often one resulting from a change:To indicate location:Preceding de to form various idioms of condition or state:With a present participle to form a progressive tense:To indicate suitability:More items...•
How do you use ser in a sentence?
If you wish to tell what your name is, you must use the verb ser. Here is an example of this use: Yo soy Patricia y ella es Carol. (I am Patricia and she is Carol.)...Names and RelationshipsJohn es mi jefe. (John is my boss.)Nosotros somos hermanos. (We are brothers.)Lauren es mi suegra. (Lauren is my mother-in-law.)
What are 3 uses of ser in Spanish?
When to Use Ser in SpanishTo express essential qualities or characteristics of someone or something that are not expected to change in the future.To tell time.To describe relationships.To express ownership or possession.To express origin or identity (this also includes professions)
How do you explain ser and estar in English?
There are two verbs that mean “to be” in Spanish, ser and estar.Ser is used in a simple way, to talk about WHAT something is (permanent state). ... Estar is used to talk about HOW something is, so we use it for conditions, locations, emotions, and actions (temporary states).
What are 10 sentences using estar?
Read and listen to these sentences with estar:Yo estoy en la cocina. I am in the kitchen.Tú estás cansado. You are tired.Él está en casa de su madre. He is at his mother's house.Ella está en el tren. ... Usted está pálido. ... Nosotros estamos en Uruguay esta semana. ... Vosotros estáis aburridos. ... Ellos están delgados.More items...
What are 10 sentences using ser?
Read and listen to these sentences with ser:Yo soy rubia. I am blonde.Tú eres médico. You are a doctor.Él es alto. He is tall.Nosotros somos hermanos. We are brothers.Mis hermanos son irlandeses.My brothers are Irish.Laura y Sarah son francesas. Laura and Sarah are French.Ustedes son enfermeros. You are nurses.
What are the 5 forms of ser?
Terms in this set (5)Yo. soy. I am.Tú eres. You are (own age group)El/Ella/Ud. es. He/She/It is.Ellos/Ellas/Uds. son. They are.Nosotros. somos. We are.
Why do we use ser?
You use ser when you talk about permanent states — about what something is. There is another tool or trick that can also help you remember when to use each verb. It's something most Spanish beginners learn from the very start: the DOCTOR and PLACE acronyms.
What is the difference between Eres and estas?
means “How are you?”. ¿Cómo eres? Refers to how you are as a person — your physical or personality traits. ¿Cómo estás refers to how you are currently — the way you are feeling at the moment.
Is Telling time ser or estar?
When we want to express data about days, dates, seasons and hours we use the verb ser (not estar).
What does the verb estar mean?
to beEstar is by far one of the most common verbs in the Spanish language. It usually translates to the English verb "to be", but there is a bit of a catch.
How do you conjugate estar?
Presente – Present Tenseyo estoy – I am.tú estás – you are.vos estás – you (South American) are.él/ella/usted está – he/she/you (formal) are.nosotros/as estamos – we are.vosotros/as estáis – you (plural) are.ustedes están – you (plural) are.ellos/as están – they are.
How do you use ser to describe someone?
Ser expresses permanent states, the “essence of things,” or the stuff that makes something what it is. You use ser when you want to express who you are, what you do (for a living), and your nationality. In all these cases, you're describing your permanent qualities as a person that aren't likely to change.
What is the definition of ser?
Ser is an -er verb. It means 'to be' and is mainly used for: Identification and description.
What is ser used to express?
Remember once again that ser is used for permanent conditions and to speak about what something is, while estar is used for temporary conditions and to express how something is.
What is the verb ser mean?
"to beSer is the Spanish verb "to be". It is generally used to portray permanent situations, for example: I am from Spain, he is a profesor, she is tall, this watch is my mother's etc. You'll find that this particular verb is one of the most versatile out there, but also hugely irregular, following almost no rules.