Ser and Estar - The Basics

Ser and estar are two of the most utilized verbs in Spanish, but it’s easy to get the two confused. Let’s take a closer look at how they’re used.

In the present tense Ser and Estar are conjugated as follows:

SER ESTAR

yo soy nosotros/as somos yo estoy nosotros/as estamos

tú eres vosotros/as sois tú estás vosotros/as estáis

él/ella/ud. es ellos/as/uds. son él/ella/ud. está ellos/as/uds. están

Ser means to be. It is used to describe the following:

Characteristics (who you are and what you are like)	Ex. Ella es Natalia. Natalia es muy alta. She is Natalia. Natalia is very tall.
Nationality and origin (where you’re from)	Ex. Tú eres estudiante. You are a student.
Occupation (what you do)	Ex. Yo soy doctor. I am a doctor.
Time, date, and season	Ex. Son las tres de la tarde. It is 3 o’clock in the afternoon.
Where and when an event takes place	Ex. El concierto es mañana a las siete y es en el estadio. The concert is tomorrow at 7pm and it is in the stadium.
Composition (what something is made of)	Ex. La mesa es de madera. The table is made of wood

Possession (who something belongs to)

Ex. La maleta es de Mariana.The suitcase is Mariana’s.

Estar also means to be. It is used to describe the following:

Location (where something is)	Ex. La biblioteca está al lado del supermercado. The library is next to the supermarket.
Health (how you feel)	Ex. Mi hermana está enferma hoy. My sister is sick today.
Physical states and conditions	Ex. La ventana está abierta. The window is open.
Emotions	Ex. Luis está muy contento con sus clases. Luis is very happy with his classes.
Certain weather expressions	Ex. Hoy está nublado. It’s cloudy today.
Ongoing actions	Ex. Estamos haciendo la tarea ahora. We are doing our homework now.

Now it’s your turn! Complete the sentences below with the correct form of ser or estar. Check your answers below the signature!

Cheers to your success!!

~Dr. Cort

Answer Key:

1. Es, 2. Es; es, 3. Estáis, 4. Estoy, 5. Eres, 6. Está, 7. Son, 8. Es