Key points about the verb 'to be' in Spanish
The verbs Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. and Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. both mean 'to be'.
Ser is used with permanent things.
Estar is used with temporary things.
Adjectives can change their meaning according to whether ser or estar is used.
Video - The verb 'to be' in Spanish
Watch the video below to learn how to use the verbs ser and estar.
The verbs 'ser' and 'estar' are used in different ways
The verb 'to be' in Spanish.
In Spanish, there are two verbs for ‘to be’: ser and estar and you use them for different things.
The verb ser goes like this:
soy - I am
eres - you are
es - he/she/it is
You can use it for describing people: soy alto (‘I’m tall’) or es deportiva (‘she is sporty’).
You can also use ser if you're talking about where you or someone else is from.
¿De dónde eres? - Where are you from?
Soy de España - I’m from Spain.
And to talk about what you do: soy estudiante - I’m a student.
Mi padre es enfermero - My dad is a nurse.
Then there’s estar, the other Spanish verb for ‘to be’:
estoy - I am
estás - you are
está - he/she/it is
You can use estar to talk about feelings:
How are you? - ¿Cómo estás?
Estoy feliz - I’m happy.
Or to talk about where people or things are located.
Estoy en Londres - I’m in London.
Excuse me, where is the cinema? - Perdona, ¿dónde está el cine?
You can also use it to talk about the condition something or someone is in:
My phone is broken - Mi móvil está roto.
Those are the main differences between ser and estar so it’s great to know which one you need when!
How to conjugate 'ser' and 'estar'
The two verbs are A verb that is not in the infinitive form but has been changed to match the subject of the verb, for example I go, he goes. as follows:
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - to be | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - to be |
|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - I am | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - I am |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - you are | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - you are |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - he/she is | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - he/she is |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - we are | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - we are |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - you (plural) are | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - you (plural) are) |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - they are | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - they are |
When to use 'ser'
The verb ser (to be) should be used for permanent things.
- Talking about nationalities
For example:
Somos galeses. - We are Welsh.
- Saying someone’s name or say who someone is in relation to you
For example:
Julia es mi hermana. - Julia is my sister.
- Talking about someone’s job
For example:
Mis madre es enfermera. - My mum is a nurse.
- Describing the physical characteristics of a person or thing
For example:
Soy alto - I’m tall.
- Describing someone’s personality
For example:
Eres muy amable. - You’re very kind.
When to use 'estar'
Estar also means ‘to be’ and is used when talking about temporary things and locations.
- Talking about things that might change in the future
For example:
Estoy enferma. - I’m ill.
Está triste hoy. - He’s sad today.
- Talking about where someone or something is
For example:
Mi casa está enfrente del cine. - My house is opposite the cinema.
Estamos en casa. - We’re at home.
The verb 'to be' in Spanish - Mini quiz
Fill in the gap to complete this sentence:
______ en Escocia.
We are in Scotland.
Estamos en Escocia.
Use estar as the sentence describes a location.
Fill in the gap to complete this sentence:
Sus ojos ___ azules.
His eyes are blue.
Sus ojos son azules.
Use ser as eye colour describes someone’s physical characteristics.
Adjectives with 'ser' and 'estar'
Some adjectives can change their meaning depending on whether ser or estar is used with them. Here are some common ones with both meanings:
| Adjective | Ser meaning | Ser example | Estar meaning | Estar example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | clever, intelligent | Es listo. (He is clever.) | ready | Está listo. (He is ready.) |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | good | Jorge es bueno. (Jorge is good.) | Attractive | Jorge está bueno. (Jorge is attractive.) |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | boring | Elena es aburrida. (Elena is boring.) | bored | Elena está aburrida. (Elena is bored.) |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | bad | Antonio es malo. (Antonio is bad.) | ill | Antonio está malo. (Antonio is ill.) |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | rich | El rey es muy rico. (The king is very rich.) | tasty | La comida está rica. (The food is tasty.) |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | safe | Aquí soy segura. (Here I’m safe.) | sure | No estoy segura de si me gusta. (I’m not sure if I like it.) |
Quiz - The verb 'to be' in Spanish
Practise what you've learned about the verb 'to be' with this quiz.
Higher Tier - The adjective 'pesado' with 'ser' and 'estar'
The adjective pesado changes its meaning depending on whether it is used with ser or estar
| Adjective | Ser meaning | Ser example | Estar meaning | Estar example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | boring | El libro es pasado. (The book is boring.) | heavy | Está bastante pesado. (It’s quite heavy.) |
Now you have learned about the verb 'to be' in Spanish why not explore infinitives in Spanish?
More on Present tense verbs
Find out more by working through a topic
- count6 of 10
- count7 of 10
- count9 of 10
