SER and ESTAR - U3A Site Builder

SER and ESTAR: To be
yo
tú
él, ella, usted
nosotros
vosotros
ellos, ustedes
SER
soy
eres
es
somos
sois
son
ESTAR
estoy
estás
está
estamos
estáis
están
Ser indicates an inherent or essential characteristic, with no suggestion of change from another state
Estar denotes an accidental quality, which has changed from another state or is liable to change to
another state.
Examples - ser
Esta lección es dificil
Aquellas casas son grandes
Mi madre es española
Eso no es possible
Este amigo es muy simpático
Esas flores son amarillas
This lesson is difficult
Those houses are large
My mother is Spanish
That is not possible
This friend is very agreeable
Those flowers are yellow
Examples - estar
Estamos muy contentos
Hoy estoy un poco triste
Esta manzana no está Madura
Las puertas están abiertas
La ventana está rota
Mi madre está enferma
We are very pleased
I am a little sad today
This apple is not ripe
The doors are open
The window is broken
My mother is ill
Use with adjectives - inherent and accidental characteristics
La muchacha es pálida
La muchacha esta pálida
The girl is pale (has a pale complexion)
The girl is pale (because of illness, shock, etc.)
Este señor es muy alegre
Este señor está muy alegre
This gentleman is very cheerful (disposition)
This gentleman is very cheerful (mood)
El hielo es frío
Este té está frío
Ice is cold (inherent characteristic)
This tea is cold (accidental – i.e. it has gone cold)
El azúcar es dulce
Este café está dulce
Sugar is sweet (inherent characteristic)
This coffee is sweet (accidental – sugar added)
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Use with Adjectives - different meanings
Ser cansado
Estar cansado
To be tiresome
To be tired
Ser listo
Estar listo
To be clever
To be ready (i.e. prepared)
Ser malo
Estar malo
To be bad (or bad at something)
To be ill
Examples
Mi hermana está cansada
¡Qué cansado es este hombre!
Estos alumnos son muy listos
Estamos listos para salir
Soy muy malo en español
Estos muchachos son my malos
Mi madre está mala
My sister is tired
How tiresome this man is!
These students are very clever
We are ready to go out
I’m very bad at Spanish
These boys are very bad
My mother is ill
General aid
If you can substitute ‘in a () state” for the adjective without changing the meaning, then use estar;
otherwise use ser. This rhyme may help: "To tell how you feel or where you are, always use the verb
estar."
Without adjectives
For position or location, always use estar. Otherwise, use ser.
¿Dónde estás? Estoy aquí.
Está detrás de la puerta
Estamos en un lío
Where are you? I’m here.
He / she / it is behind the door
We’re in a mess
¿Qué es eso?
¿Qué edificio es? Es uno grande. Es el mismo.
What is that?
Which building is it? It is a big one. It is the same
one.
To live in Madrid is not to know Spain.
Two and three are five.
Whose book is this? It is John’s. It is yours.
Where’s he from? He’s from Madrid. He’s a
good lad.
Vivir en Madrid no es conocer España
Dos y tres son cinco.
¿De quién es este libro? Es de Juan. Es de usted.
¿De donde es? Es de Madrid. Es un buen
muchacho.
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