The verbs SER and ESTAR are the main connecting words in Spanish, but they are often confused because both verbs translate as “to be”. Nevertheless, each one has an absolutely different meaning. If you have ever been confused by SER vs ESTAR, then this post will help you with a list all of the most common uses of these two important Spanish verbs. Use this Spanish classes in Valencia handy guide to help you out!
Uses of the verb SER
Description of constant quality and consistent characteristic.
Use SER when you name and describe a person.
- Yo soy María. — I´m Mary
- Él es Juan. — He´s Juan.
- Yo soy alta. — I´m tall.
- Ellos son tranquilos. — They´re quiet.
- Mi hermana es inteligente. — My sister is smart.
Profession.
Use SER when you name a profession or a hobby
- Soy actriz. — I´m actress
- Ella era peluquera. — She wasa hairdresser.
- Mi hijo será abogado. — My son will be a lawyer.
- Somos amigos. — We´re friends.
Time.
Time can refer to dates and the time on the clock.
- Hoy es martes. — Today is Tuesday.
- Mañana será el jueves. — Tomorrow is Thursday.
- Es la una. — Now it’s the hour.
- Son las dos. — It’s two o’clock.
Pay attention, use es when you say “hour”, and use son with all numbers above 1
Place of birth, nationality, origin.
Use SER when you say where someone is from, indicate their nationality, and also mark what the thing is made of:
- Soy de Inglaterra. — I´m from England.
- Eres de Rusia. — You´re from Russia.
- Es italiano. — He´s Italian.
- Son españoles. — They´re Spanish.
- La mesa es de madera. — The table is made of wood.
- La cadena es de plata. — The chain is made of silver.
Relationships, religions.
If you want to mark family ties and talk about your religion, use SER:
- Sergio es mi marido. — Sergio is my husband.
- Ella es mi hermana. — She is my sister.
- Soy religioso. — I´m a religious.
- Soy católico. — I’m a Catholic.
Price
You can ask for a price using the verb SER:
- ¿Cuánto es? — How much is it?
Age, color, size, quality.
Use SER to describe the consistent characteristics of objects.
- El bolso es grande. — The bag is large.
- La película es buena. — The movie is good.
- La casa es blanca. — The house is white.
- El coche es nuevo. — The car is new.
Uses of the verb ESTAR
Location.
If you want to know or specify where the object or person is located, use the verb ESTAR:Estoy en casa. – I´m at home.
- ¿Dónde está el libro? – Where is the book?
- La oficina está al lado del café. – The office is next to a cafe.
- ¿Dónde estás ahora? – Where are you now?
Temporary condition.
When you describe the person or object state at this time, use the verb ESTAR:
Estoy casado. – I’m married.
Estábamos enfermos. – We were sick.
¿Por qué estás nervioso? – Why are you nervous?
The action that is taking place at the moment.
Use ESTAR whan you want indicate that a certain action is being performed now. In fact, the present conjugation of ESTAR is used together with the gerund form (-ndo) of the verb:
- Estamos bailando. – We’re dancing now.
- ¿Con quién estás hablando? – Who are you talking to now?
- Están trabajando. – They’re working now.
Temperature.
When you want to say how many degrees it is outside, use ESTAR in the first person plural (nosotros) and the preposition a:
Estamos a 28 grados hoy. – Today it´s 28 degrees.
Days and months.
To name the date, use ESTAR in the first person plural (nosotros):
- Estamos a 15 de octubre. – Today is October 15th.
Difference between SER and ESTAR
Take note that SER and ESTAR completely change the phrase meaning when used with the same word. Here are a few examples:
|
SER |
ESTAR |
||
|
ser aburrido |
to be boring |
estar aburrido |
to be bored |
|
ser bueno |
to be good |
estar bueno |
to be tasty/attracted |
|
ser cansado |
to be a tiring person |
estar cansado |
to be tired |
|
ser grave |
to be serious |
estar grave |
to be seriously ill |
|
ser listo |
to be clever |
estar listo |
to be ready |
|
ser malo |
to be bad |
estar malo |
to be ill |
|
ser orgulloso |
to be conceited |
estar orgulloso |
to be proud |
|
ser moreno |
to have dark hair |
estar moreno |
to be tanned |
|
ser pesado |
to be heavy |
estar pesado |
to be tiresome |
|
ser rico |
to be rich |
estar rico |
to be tasty |
|
ser seguro |
to be safe |
estar seguro |
to be certain |
|
ser verde |
to be green |
estar verde |
to be unripe |
|
ser viejo |
to be old |
estar viejo |
to look old |
|
ser vivo |
to be sharp |
estar vivo |
to be alive |
Text: Mariia Lisafina