Spanish grammar · Beginner (A1)
Ser and estar: two verbs for “to be”
Spanish has two verbs for “to be”. Learn when to use ser, when to use estar, and the most useful rules of thumb.
The forms
Both verbs are irregular in the present. Learn them by heart: you will use them in almost every conversation.
| Person | ||
|---|---|---|
| / / | ||
| / | ||
| / | ||
| / / |
Ser: what something is
Use to say who or what someone or something is: name, job, nationality and origin, what something is made of, who it belongs to, and features that describe what it is like. Also use it for the time, dates and the total price:
- Soy Elena. Soy de Chile.I'm Elena. I'm from Chile.
- Mi padre es enfermero.My father is a nurse.
- La casa es grande y muy bonita.The house is big and very pretty.
- Son las cinco.It's five o'clock.
Estar: where and how
Use for location (where someone or something is) and for states and feelings, how someone or something is at the moment: tired, ill, happy, busy, cold. Also use it with the -ando / -iendo form: (I'm eating).
One exception to remember: events use for their location. (The party is at my house).
- ¿Dónde está el baño?Where's the toilet?
- Estoy cansada.I'm tired.
- ¿Cómo estás? Estoy bien, gracias.How are you? I'm fine, thanks.
- Estamos comiendo.We're eating.
Same adjective, different meaning
Some adjectives change meaning depending on the verb. With you describe what someone is like; with you describe how they are right now.
| With | With |
|---|---|
| He's boring. | He's bored. |
| He's clever. | He's ready. |
| He's rich. | It's tasty (food). |
| She's good-looking. | She looks nice (today). |