How To Use Estar In A Sentence

By Last updated: September 8, 2022

Ser vs. Estar: Your Ultimate Guide to Knowing the Difference

One of the nigh common things that Spanish learners struggle with is how to tell the difference betwixt ii Spanish verbs that both mean "to be": ser and estar.

This guide will have you through how and when to use these two verbs in Spanish and soon information technology will come naturally!

The Deviation Between Ser and Estar
When to Utilise Ser
- 1. Descriptions
- 2. Occupation
- iii. Relationships
- four. Possession
- five. Fourth dimension
- 6. Event Locations
- 7. Climate
When to Utilise Estar
- i. Temporary States
- 2. Ongoing Deportment
- 3. Location
- 4. Changing Weather condition
Why Is It Important to Use Ser and Estar Correctly?
Common Mistakes with Ser and Estar
- 1. Ser Aburrido/a vs. Estar Aburrido/a
- ii. Ser Feliz vs. Estar Feliz
- 3. Es Muerto vs. Está Muerto
- 4. La Fiesta Es vs. La Fiesta Está
- 5. Es Bueno vs. Está Bueno

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The Difference Between Ser and Estar

Only put, ser is used to describe the "essence of things"—the things that make something what it is and are unlikely to change—and e star is used to talk well-nigh temporary states, locations or weather.

When to Utilize Ser

i. Descriptions

Ser is used for both physical descriptions and character descriptions or personality traits. Information technology is also used to describe where someone is from and their nationality.The same rules apply for things.

Ella es alta. (She is tall.)
Ella es de Colombia. (She's from Colombia.)
La mesa es grande.(The tabular array is big.)

Don't forget to utilize the correct gender when using adjectives. If yous're a girl, you'll probably want to employ adjectives ending in "a" when describing yourself, if you lot're a boy, go for "o."

2. Occupation

A person's task is likewise deemed to contribute to their "essence," and so we also use ser in this instance. To ask someone what they practice for a living, you can ask, "¿De qu é trabajas?," and you'll receive the reply, "Soy + [their job]."

Note that you do not use the indefinite commodity un/una (a/an) when talking nearly jobs.

Soy profesora. (I'grand a teacher.)
Soy abogado. (I'm a lawyer.)

3. Relationships

Ser is also used to describe relationships between people.

É 50 es mi hermano.(He's my brother.)
Gustavo es mi novio.(Gustavo is my fellow.)
Ella es mi amiga.(She's my friend.)

4. Possession

When talking about things that vest to y'all or other people, you should ever use ser.

La casa es mía. (The house is mine.)
Es mi libro. (It'southward my volume.)
Estos zapatos son míos. (These shoes are mine.)

5. Time

We as well use ser when talking most the fourth dimension:

Es la una. (It'southward one o'clock.)
Hoy es jueves. (Today is Thursday.)
Hoy es el 21 de julio.(Today is July 21.)
Mi cumpleaños es en mayo. (My birthday is in May.)

half dozen. Event Locations

Information technology is important to know that in most cases,estarvolition be used when referring to location, but not e'er. There is a example in whichseris used to refer to location, and that is when talking almost where an event is going to take identify.

El concierto es en el estadio.(The concert is at the stadium.)
Su boda será en Portugal.(Her nuptials will be in Portugal.)

vii. Climate

Whileseris not used to describe day-to-day weather, it is used to depict the general climate of a identify or fourth dimension.

El verano es caliente. (Summer is hot.)
Florida es húmeda. (Florida is boiling.)

When to Employ Estar

1. Temporary States

Estar is used to describe temporary statessuch as temporary situations, or temporary physical and emotional states. This would include things like mood or sickness.

Est á feliz.(He is happy.)
Estoy enferma. (I'chiliad ill.)

ii. Ongoing Actions

The verb estar is also used to brand the nowadays continuous tense, which is used to depict actions happening in or around the moment of speaking. These would exist temporary actions or conditions that are just happening correct now and are assumed to stop within the virtually hereafter.

To brand this tense, yous demand the verb estar in the present tense earlier the stem of the verb plus "-ando" (-AR verbs) or "-endo" (-IR/-ER verbs).

estoy estamos
estás estáis + Verb stem + (-ando/-endo)
está están

Examples are:

Estoy hablando.(I'm talking.)
Est án comiendo.(They're eating.)
Estamos escribiendo.(We're writing.)

3. Location

When describing where something or someone is, you besides demand to utilise our temporary friend estar.

¿Donde está Juan?(Where is Juan?)
Est á en el supermercado. (He's at the supermarket.)

4. Changing Weather

Nosotros use estar to describe weather when it is in a temporary country.

Está frío.(Information technology's cold.)
Estará nublado mañana. (It will be cloudy tomorrow.)

Why Is It Of import to Utilize Ser and Estar Correctly?

While they both technically mean the same thing, information technology is very important to know the difference betwixtserandestarthen that y'all can say what you mean to say. Using the wrong class of "to exist" can atomic number 82 to misunderstandings and defoliation.

There'south a big difference between existence bored and being a boring person, and saying someone is good-looking or a proficient person.

The best style to choice upwardly on this is by immersing yourself with authentic Spanish media like texts and videos. This volition help you realize context and meet how these differences are practical.

You lot tin find a multifariousness of helpful sources online or with language learning programs such as FluentU, which allows you lot to sentinel native Spanish clips and acquire with tools such as interactive subtitles, flashcards and quizzes.

ser vs estar

Seeing how these two verbs are used in context past native speakers will amend your Spanish, and become you one step closer to fluency.

Common Mistakes with SerandEstar

one. Ser Aburrido/a vs. Estar Aburrido/a

Soy aburrido/a ways "I'm boring." This means your unabridged essence is boring, and you are a boring person. You might want to sayes aburrido/a (he/she/information technology is boring) when describing someone or something, but don't blame us if someone is insulted by this announcement.

Estoy aburrido/a translates to "I'one thousand bored." Notice that estaris used for temporary states and this expression demonstrates a temporary land of boredom.

2. Ser Feliz vs. Estar Feliz

Es felizmeans someone is a happy person, whereas est á felizmeans someone is temporarily happy. Both are useful, merely it's important to know the difference betwixt a perpetually happy person and someone who is just temporarily satisfied.

three. Es Muerto vs. Está Muerto

In this instance, yous volition only ever utilize está muerto(he's expressionless). Always employ estar to describe dead things or people. Death is always seen as a temporary state, and soes muertovolition never be used.

iv. La Fiesta Es vs. La Fiesta Está

Equally mentioned earlier, when describing where a planned event takes place we use ser and non estar, even though we're describing location.

So l a fiesta es en mi casa(The party's at my house) is right, even though nosotros're talking about the location of the party. The same applies to any pre-planned upshot such as meetings, weddings, or parties.

Go along in mind that when describing the party itself, we will indeed use estar: l a fiesta está muy divertida. (The political party is so fun)."

five. Es Bueno vs. Está Bueno

Está bueno/a translates to he/she is good-looking. This i is definitely useful in some contexts, but should probably be avoided in others.

If you want to say someone is good in general, use es bueno.

Although learning the difference betweenserandestarcan be difficult, it will come up with time and practise.

With abiding practice, you lot'll know which circumstances require each blazon of "be."

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