Ser and estar
Two verbs for "to be": what something is, and how or where it is.
Spanish has two verbs for "to be". ser says what someone or something is; estar says how or where it is.
| ser | estar | |
|---|---|---|
| yo | soy | estoy |
| tú | eres | estás |
| él, ella, usted | es | está |
| nosotros | somos | estamos |
| vosotros | sois | estáis |
| ellos, ellas, ustedes | son | están |
Ser: what it is
ser is for identity, jobs, where someone is from, what something is made of, what it's like, and the time and date.
- I'm Ana.
- My mother is a doctor.
- We're from Mexico.
- The table is made of wood.
- My brother is tall and nice.
- It's three o'clock.
Estar: how and where it is
estar is for where someone or something is, and for states and moods: how things are now, or have become.
- I'm at home.
- Madrid is in the center of Spain.
- How are you? —I'm tired.
- The soup is cold.
- The shop is closed.
estar also makes the "-ing" of things happening now: Estoy comiendo "I'm eating"; see The present tense.
Same word, different meaning
Many adjectives work with both, and the verb changes the meaning: ser for what something is like, estar for how it is now or seems.
| With ser | With estar |
|---|---|
| es aburrido: he's boring | está aburrido: he's bored |
| es listo: he's clever | está listo: he's ready |
| es rico: he's rich | está rico: it's tasty |
| es malo: he's bad | está malo: he's ill, or it tastes bad |
| es verde: it's green | está verde: it's unripe |
- The food is delicious.
- You look very pretty today.
Two exceptions to learn
Events take ser for where they happen, since saying where an event is says what it is: La fiesta es en mi casa. And being dead takes estar: Está muerto.
Cards from this guide
10 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Sentences cards.
Ser or estar: which says where someone is from?
ser: Soy de Chile.
Ser or estar: which says where something is?
estar: Madrid está en España.
Ser or estar: which says someone's job?
ser: Es profesora.
How do you say 'I'm tired'?
Estoy cansado, or cansada for a woman.
What's the difference between es aburrido and está aburrido?
es aburrido: he's boring; está aburrido: he's bored.
What does está listo mean, against es listo?
está listo: he's ready; es listo: he's clever.
How do you say 'the food is delicious', about a meal you're eating?
La comida está rica.
Ser or estar: which says where a party takes place?
ser: La fiesta es en mi casa.
Ser or estar: which gives the time?
ser: Son las tres.
What's the 'we' form of ser?
somos