How to learn ser and estar? Wanderlust Spanish want to shown you how to learn Spanish grammer in a easy way. This Iis one of the most complicated grammar themes in Spanish, so here we gonna help you and we gonna explain the difference between the two Spanish verbs for “to be” – Ser vs Estar.
There are two verbs that mean “to be” in Spanish, ser and estar.
-Ser is used in a simple way, to talk about WHAT something is (permanent state). To describe characteristics that are an essential part of the thing we’re talking about.
-Estar is used to talk about HOW something is, so we use it for conditions, locations, emotions, and actions (temporary states).
Estar is usually used to describe where a person or thing is physically located. Although an event takes place at a physical location, when speaking about events occurring at a specific point in time, you should use ser. If the meaning of the verb is to be held or to take place, make sure you use ser.
To address condition, use estar. Estar is an irregular verb. It does not follow the standard rules of conjugation for regular -ar verbs. Therefore, you must memorize it.
estar
estoy
estás
está
estamos
estáis
están
To address an essential quality, use ser. Ser is also irregular and must be memorized.
ser
soy
eres
es
somos
sois
son
Key points
- ser and estar both mean to be in English, but are used very differently.
- ser and estar are irregular verbs. You have to learn them.
- Use ser with adjectives describing permanent qualities or characteristics; with nouns or pronouns telling you who or what somebody or something is; with time and dates; and to form the passive.
- Use estar to talk about location; health; with adjectives describing a change of state; and with past participles used as adjectives to describe states.
- estar is also used to form present continuous tenses.
- ser and estar can sometimes be used with the same adjectives, but the meaning changes depending on which verb is used.
- ser and estar are both used in a number of set phrases.
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