- Using estar, instead of ser, when describing occupations. In Spanish, we don’t say La chica está un estudiante. We always use the verb ser when describing occupations.
- Telling the time using estar instead of ser. If someone asks you the time in Spanish, you should always use the verb ser when you respond. ...
- Identifying an object using estar instead of ser. Say your friend asks you in Spanish to point out which car belongs to you. ...
- Describing someone’s place of origin using estar instead of ser. ...
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 you use Ser or estar to tell time?
When not to use ser or estar: Late / early / on time. In Spanish, when you want to say “I’m early” or “I’m late” you should also avoid ser and estar. Instead, it is much better to use the Spanish verb llegar (to arrive) to talk about people ‘being’ early, late or on time. Here are some examples: English: I don’t like to be early.
What does SER and estar mean?
ser and estar both mean to be in English, but are used very differently. ser and estar are irregular verbs. You have to learn them. Use ser with adjectives describing permanent qualities or characteristics; with nouns or pronouns telling you who or what somebody or something is; with time and dates; and to form the passive.
Is Ser or estar used for the seasons?
SER and ESTAR for weather and seasons descriptions Both SER and ESTAR are very useful for talking about the weather and seasons in Spanish. The verb ESTAR will be used to say what the weather is like at a given moment, that is temporary weather conditions, for example: “ El clima está caliente ”.
How do you know to use ser or estar?
Ser and estar in action: 4 golden rulesUse 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.
How do you use ser and estar in a sentence?
Some examples of ser and estar in use Marina es alta e intelligente. (Marina is tall and intelligent.) We use ser to describe Marina because she will always be tall and her intelligence will remain the same, it is a permanent description. Los pantalones son grises y están sucios.
What are the 3 Uses of estar?
In contrast to the essence of ser, estar is used to talk about temporary states, locations or conditions.Use Estar for Temporary States. Estar is used to describe someone's mood, and implies that this state might be temporary. ... Use Estar in the Present Continuous. ... Use Estar with Location.
What are the 4 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...•
What are 10 sentences using estar?
Using Estar to Express FeelingEstoy muy enojado. - I am very angry.Mi padre y yo estamos ocupados. - My father and I are busy.¿Estás cansado? - Are you tired?La casa está limpia. - The house is clean.Mi habitación está ordenada. - My room is tidy.La tienda está cerrada. ... El niño está aburrido. ... El niño es aburrido.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 estar?
To describe how you feel or where you are, you use the present indicative forms of estar - estoy, estás, está, estamos, estáis, están.
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.)
How do you use estar in Spanish in a sentence?
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...
Why do we use ser?
Simply put, ser is used to talk about permanent states, while estar is used to talk about temporary conditions. In English, you would use the verb “to be” for both, but in Spanish they have somewhat different meanings.
How do I 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.)
Can you use ser and estar in the same sentence?
Your choice of using either estar or ser can also affect the rest of the sentence. Certain adjectives will convey different meanings based on which verb they're paired with: La manzana es verde....Ser and Estar: Differences in Meaning.estar:ser:Estoy feliz. I am happy. (now)Soy feliz. I am a happy person.10 more rows
How do you use ser in Spanish?
Free Spanish Grammar LessonThe Spanish verb SER means "to be". ... SER is used primarily in situations to imply permanence, equivalence, characteristics, origin, nature, identity and possession ("My apple IS bigger than his", "Quito IS in Ecuador", "Ice IS cold", "He IS French", "This car IS mine".More items...
What are the eight uses of ser?
Uses of SerThe hour, day, and date.Place of origin.Occupation.Nationality.Religious or political affiliation.The material something is made of.Possession.Relationship of one person to another.More items...
What is the difference between estar and ser?
What is the difference between Ser and Estar? 1 Ser is used in a simple way, to talk about WHAT something is (permanent state). To describe characteristics that are an essential part of the thing we’re talking about. 2 Estar is used to talk about HOW something is, so we use it for conditions, locations, emotions, and actions (temporary states).
Why do we use "estar"?
María is in a good mood. María está de buen humor. One’s mood always changes throughout the day, and we experience different emotions in one day, so, we use Estar because we are talking about a condition.
What does "ser" mean in Spanish?
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). To describe characteristics that are an essential part of the thing we’re talking about. Estar is used to talk about HOW something is, so we use it for conditions, locations, emotions, ...
Why do we use SER?
We use SER for professions because they are considered a “part of” who the person is.
Is SER important in seatbelts?
This is stating a quality of the seatbelt: that it’s important. It’s never not important, so this is a characteristic of the seatbelt and thus we use SER.
When to use "ser" instead of "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.
What does Ser mean in Estar?
Ser describes what something is (its permanent state). Estar, on the other hand, describes how something is (its temporary state).
When do we use the present subjunctive conjugations of estar?
When using the present subjunctive conjugations of estar, try to remember everything you’ve learned about its present tense conjugations. It is still used to describe an object’s position, to describe the location of an object of building, to describe the action someone’s carrying out, to refer to someone’s condition or their emotions. But the subjunctive conjugations of the verb estar are reserved for hopes, wishes, desires and hypothetical situations.
When do we use the verb ser?
Although there are some exceptions, in Spanish we use the verb ser when describing the essential qualities or characteristics of a person or object. There are also various other usage rules which can help to indicate when ser is used.
What is the subjunctive verb for desire?
But there are two clues we can use when deciding if the subjunctive verb ser is required. The verb ‘ querer ’ is used, which signals a wish or desire. Other verbs that indicate desire include esperar, escantar, gustar and alegrarse de. These verbs are frequently found in sentences that require the subjunctive tense.
Why is ser required in subjunctive?
It requires the verb ser because it refers to a profession. It’s sometimes difficult to ‘feel’ the difference between the present tense and the subjunctive mood, but you’ll get the hang of it – it just takes a bit of practice. But there are two clues we can use when deciding if the subjunctive verb ser is required.
What does "ser" mean in Spanish?
As your country of origin never changes, in Spanish we use the verb ser, not estar to describe where we are from. For example, someone might ask you:
What is the difference between ser and estar?
If ser is used with things that don’t change much, estar is for those cases where things do change. That can seem a little vague, so once again, let’s chop this up into separate categories.
When to use "estar"?
You are driving, he is shopping, they were dancing and so on. When you’re describing actions like these , you’ll always use estar.
What are the most common Spanish verbs in 2021?
June 18, 2021. The verbs ser and estar are notorious for giving Spanish learners a bit of trouble. Not only are they two of the most common Spanish verbs in existence, but they also don’t have similar counterparts in English. They both translate to the same verb: “to be.”. Depending on the context, then, one English word can be translated entirely ...
What does "es ocho en la maana" mean?
Es ocho en la mañana. — It’s eight in the morning.
When you say what day it is, do you use ser?
When you’re saying what day it is or what time it is, you always use ser. This might seem a little counterintuitive, because time (by its very nature) is always changing, but it’s easy enough to remember once you’ve learned it.
Do you use ser or estar?
If you’re talking about the location of a person or thing, you’ll use estar (see below). But for events, you’ll need to use ser.
Do feelings use estar?
Feelings are by their very nature changeable, so it only makes sense that they would use estar.
What is the difference between Ser and Estar?
As you may already know, the main difference between ser and estar is that ser refers to more permanent traits of someone or something, while estar refers to transient conditions. Check out the difference in the following two examples: María es alta, delgada y rubia. Maria is tall, thin, and blonde.
When to use "estar" or "estar"?
Use estar for location, except when speaking about events. Estar is usually used to describe where a person or thing is physically located. Although an event takes place at a physical location, when speaking about events occurring at a specific point in time, you should use ser. If the meaning of the verb is to be held or to take place, ...
Why do we use "estar"?
In the example below, we use estar because we are referring to the particular churro that will only exist for that point in time in which it is in front of us before or just after we have eaten it:
What does the speaker use Estar for?
In the first example, the speaker uses estar to indicate the location of the exam, where the exam being referred to is the physical collection of papers with questions on them.
Why do we use "SER" instead of "SER"?
In the second example, the speaker uses ser instead because the exam being referred to is the event where the students will take the physical exam. We would use ser in this way most commonly with words that are events, such as una cita ( a date ), una fiesta ( a party ), or even un concierto ( a concert ).
Is it okay to make mistakes when using ser or estar?
We hope that these tips will help you feel more confident when using ser or estar. And remember, it’s okay to make mistakes! The more you practice, the easier it will be for you to choose the right verb!
Is "ser" a verb in Spanish?
Most Spanish language learners want to pull their hair out when deciding whether to use ser or estar. Like por and para, ser and estar can be very tricky for learners. Ser and estar both mean to be and are used frequently in daily Spanish communication. While it can be confusing, we have some quick tips that will alleviate your headache and make you more confident when differentiating between these two tricky verbs.
What is the difference between ser and estar?
Simply put, ser is used to talk about permanent states, while estar is used to talk about temporary conditions. In English, you would use the verb “to be” for both, but in Spanish they have somewhat different meanings.
When to use estar?
Estar is used when you talk about temporary states — about how something is.
What does the verb "SER" mean in Spanish?
As mentioned above, the verb ser is used to express permanent conditions and describe what something is in Spanish. The following are some of the most common uses for ser:
What does "estar" mean?
The verb estar expresses how a person, concept, or object finds itself in a place, time, or situation; or their mood, health, ongoing actions, opinions, and the feelings that they may have. It is the how rather than the what. It may be tricky, but you can help yourself learn by remembering these common uses for estar:
Why do we use ser?
If you want to talk about what time it is, use ser. Ser is used in this instance because ser is talking about what something is rather than how something is.
What is the meaning of "vosotros"?
Vosotros (plural you) is used to identify the quality or characteristics of a group of people. It’s also a permanent condition that will (hopefully) remain unchanged. Just as before, the masculine gender is used to identify an undetermined group of people. If the elements represented by “you” are all feminine genders, vosotros will change to vosotras.
When to use gerund in Spanish?
When using the gerund in Spanish, you need to use estar. You can use it for the past, present, or future.
When to use estar?
When we want to emphasize that prices are constantly changing (on a local market for example) we use estar followed by the preposition “a”.
What is the verb "estar"?
Another use of the verb estar is to talk about actions that are performed right now or often in the present. We use estar with the gerund – estar + gerundio.
What does ser mean in a sentence?
We use ser to describe objects and people, their physical appearance and their personality.
When to use "estar" and "de"?
If you aren’t talking about your “real profession”, and you want to refer to that temporary job you are currently doing, you can use estar with the preposition “de”. By using estar + de we emphasize that it isn’t a permanent situation.
When we talk about marital status, do we use the verb "estar"?
When we talk about marital status, we use the verb estar .
When we ask for the total price of a product, do we use the verb "ser"?
When we ask for the total price of a product we use the verb ser .
Is level B1.1 full of ser vs estar?
Wow, level B1.1 is really full of ser vs estar uses! In order not to forget them, practice with the quizzes below.
Why do we need to know when to use SER vs ESTAR?
Why do we even need to know when to use Ser vs Estar? Because knowing the difference can make the difference between saying someone is bored and calling someone boring! No one wants to make a mistake like that. So even though Ser and Estar mean the same thing, they are used under very different conditions. Using Ser vs Estar can totally change the meaning of a sentence. And knowing the difference can prevent foot in mouth syndrome for sure but will also help you sound more like a native!
When to use "ser" vs "estar"?
Okay amigos, now you know when to use Ser vs Estar. In summary, use the acronym DOCTOR to remember when to use Ser and how you’re feeling, where you are; always use the verb Estar! I hope this has been helpful.
What does "Juan está aburrido" mean?
Juan es aburrido means he’s boring, but saying Juan está aburrido means he’s bored. Quite a difference right?!
What does Ser mean in a time?
Ser will always be used to tell the time, but not only the time of day but also days of the week, dates, and where an event takes place
What does Ser sound like?
Ser (Sounds like Bear but with an “S ” instead of a “B”) is used to:
What does "nora esta vieja" mean?
Nora es vieja means she’s old while Nora está vieja means she looks old. Either one is probably not nice to say about or to someone, but at least you know the difference now.
When to use Ser before De?
Ser will generally (almost always) be used before de, for instance when talking about origin and showing possession.
Why Is It Important to Use Ser and Estar Correctly?
Surely using the wrong version of “to be” doesn’t cause that much confusion, does it?
What is the verb "estar" used for?
The verb estar is also used to make the present continuous tense, which is used to describe actions happening in or around the moment of speaking.
What are the two verbs that mean "to be" in Spanish?
While the phrase doesn’t have quite the same ring to it as Hamlet’s famous words, it’s a question you might find yourself asking when faced with two Spanish verbs that both mean “to be”: ser and estar.
What does "estar" mean in a sentence?
In contrast to the essence of ser, estar is used to talk about temporary states, locations or conditions.
What does "es la una" mean?
The hour: Es la una. (It’s one o’clock.)
When to use SER?
Some people say that ser describes “permanent states,” but we like the essence idea better. 1. Use Ser When Describing People or Things. Ser is used for both physical descriptions and character descriptions or personality traits. Ella es alta.
When to say "es aburrido"?
You might want to say es aburrido/a (he/she/it is boring) when describing someone or something, but don’t blame us if someone is insulted by this declaration.
When to use estar and ser?
In contrast to the third use of ser for price, estar is used in combination with the preposition a to talk about prices that change on a daily basis , such as those in a local market.
When to use "Estar" in a sentence?
The last use of estar is for talking about ‘being’ in a day, date or month. If you are going to talk about the date with this use of estar you can only use it as the first person plural and in combination with the preposition a for the day or en for the month or year.
What are the two past tenses in Spanish?
To compound the challenge of ser and estar, there are the two main past tenses in Spanish: the past simple and the past imperfect.
What does the ser mean in a text?
In most cases, ser is used to talk about date and time.
What is the first use of Estar?
The first use of estar is for describing temporary states such as being sick or emotional.
When to use ser?
Normally you need to use estar with location but when you are talking about events such as a meeting, a party, a wedding, or a conference, you need to use ser.
When to use ser in Spanish?
When you want to ask or describe the price of an item in Spanish, mostly you will need to use ser. You will see later that there is an exception for variables prices such as those in the markets.
