Ser vs Estar: Cracking the Spanish Grammar Code

¡Hola, Spanish learners! Learning Spanish is a fun adventure, but it often comes with some tricky aspects. You might have noticed that ser and estar are two Spanish verbs that can cause confusion. They both translate to “to be” in English, but the real story is a bit more complex. To become fluent in the Spanish language, you need to use ser and estar correctly. In this guide, we’ll help you understand these two verbs, making it easier for you to apply them in the right way.

So, why is it important to learn the difference between ser and estar? Imagine all the times you’ve used the verb “to be” in English. It’s a verb you use in many situations. In Spanish, if you mix them up, people might not understand you, or you might even create some funny situations. If you’re planning to travel, talk to Spanish speakers, or just want to get better at speaking the language, knowing when and how to use these verbs can help you sound more natural. Let’s explore these two important verbs together!

When to use Ser

In Spanish, ser plays a significant role in conveying specific information. Think of it as the verb that helps define objects, situations, and characteristics. Ser is used when we talk about permanent situations or characteristics, which means things that aren’t going to change. For example, “El sol es brillante” (The sun is bright). If the sun is bright, it’ll always be bright, and that’s a permanent situation. To make it easier to remember the uses of ser, I’ve got a handy acronym for you: DOCTOR (Date, Occupation, Characteristics, Time, Origin, Relationships).

Pro tip: If you want to master the conjugation of this verb, check out our complete ser conjugation article.

Date

Ser is used to talk about dates. Whether it’s stating the day of the week or pointing out the exact date of an event, ser is used to indicate the number, day of the week, month, and year. It’s also possible to use ser in this same way in the past, present, and future tense.

• Hoy es martes. / Today is Tuesday. 
• Mi cumpleaños es el 10 de octubre. / My birthday is on October 10th.
• Nuestra boda es el 5 de junio. / Our wedding is on June 5th.
• El lunes es mi día favorito de la semana. / Monday is my favorite day of the week.
• ¿Qué fecha es hoy? Es el 24 de diciembre. / What’s the date today? It’s December 24th.

Occupation

When we discuss a person’s occupation or profession, ser is the verb to use. It helps you identify what someone does for a living. Note that when talking about one person’s job in English, we include “a” before the profession, but we do not include “un/una” in Spanish. Let’s look at some examples of how to use ser when we talk about occupations:

• Él es médico. / He is a doctor.
• Ella es ingeniera. / She is an engineer. 
• Mis padres son maestros. / My parents are teachers.
• Mi hermano es abogado. / My brother is a lawyer.
• Ellos son actores famosos. / They are famous actors.

Characteristics

When you want to describe the permanent characteristics or qualities of someone or something, ser is the verb you need. It’s used to convey traits that are considered permanent or long-lasting. For example, when we talk about internal characteristics like intelligence, and way of being. This way, we create a guide that helps us distinguish specific objects or subjects. Take a look at these examples of ser talking about characteristics:

• María es inteligente. / Maria is intelligent.
• Los gatos son peludos. / Cats are furry.
• Pedro es alto. / Pedro is tall.
• El vestido es rojo. / The dress is red.
• La casa es grande. / The house is big.

Time

Ser is used when we talk about time in a more general sense, such as indicating the time of the day, the season, or the time on the clock. We use ser for time in a general sense because it describes fixed qualities like the time of day, season, or clock time. This can be used in the past, present, and future.

• Es tarde. / It’s late.
• Es primavera. / It’s spring.
• Ahora, es la una de la tarde. / Now, it’s one o’clock in the afternoon.
• Hoy es lunes. / Today is Monday.
• Es de noche. / It’s nighttime.

Origin

Ser is the right verb to use when you want to indicate a person’s place of origin, where they are from, or the source of something. You can use ser to talk about the origin of an object, as well as the materials an object was made with.

• Soy de Perú. / I am from Peru
• Él es de Italia. / He is from Italy.
• Los autos son de Alemania. / The cars are from Germany.
• Estas frutas son de Brasil. / These fruits are from Brazil.
• ¿De dónde es ese libro? / Where is that book from?

Relationships

Ser is also used to talk about relationships, particularly family and romantic connections. It helps identify who someone is related to or their relationship status.

• Ella es mi hermana. / She is my sister.
• Ellos son primos. / They are cousins.
• Juan es el esposo de María. / Juan is Maria’s husband.
• Tú eres mi mejor amigo. / You are my best friend.
• Nosotros somos novios. / We are dating.

When to use Estar

In the world of Spanish, we use estar to talk about temporary states, physical locations, conditions, actions, or even emotions. It’s the key to expressing things that may change anytime soon or have a sense of impermanence. We use estar to express where someone or something is situated, describe feelings or emotions, discuss health conditions like “estoy agripado” (I have the flu), indicate ongoing actions, and portray temporary characteristics. To help you remember the uses of estar, we can use the acronym PLACE (Position, Location, Action, Condition, Emotions).

Pro tip: Check out our complete estar conjugation article if you want to learn all the conjugations of this verb.

Position

Position is all about where objects or people are physically located. We use etar to talk about position or location when we want to convey where someone or something is at a specific moment. Again, note that this position is considered temporary. For example, “El libro está en la mesa” (The book is on the table). This sentence implies that this is a temporary position for the book and that, later, it’ll be somewhere else.

• Mis llaves están debajo del sofá. / My keys are under the sofa.
• Los niños están detrás del coche. / The children are behind the car.
• Estoy de pie. / I am standing.
• El gato está encima del armario. / The cat is on top of the wardrobe.

Location

We use estar to specify the physical location of something or someone. This is especially the case when the location is temporary or subject to change. While this includes places like rooms or specific spots, it’s important to know that estar can also be used for locations like countries or cities, even if they are generally considered permanent. Whether it’s a country, city, room, or even a spot in a room, estar helps you describe the location accurately.

• Estamos en el parque. / We are at the park.
• El museo está en el centro de la ciudad. / The museum is in the city center.
• Mi casa está cerca del supermercado. / My house is near the supermarket.
• La playa está a kilómetros de aquí. / The beach is kilometers away from here.
• El restaurante está al lado del cine. / The restaurant is next to the cinema.

Action

If we want to describe ongoing actions or events, we use estar. It provides context about what is happening at a specific moment. Another possible use for estar when talking about actions is so that we can inform others about what we’re currently doing. In this particular case, we add the verb to the gerund by adding “-ando,” or “-endo” to the verb to indicate that the action is in progress (it’s similar to the construction of the present continuous in English).

• Estoy estudiando para el examen. / I am studying for the exam.
• Ellos están comiendo la cena. / They are eating dinner.
• Los niños están jugando en el parque. / The children are playing in the park.
• Mi hermana está trabajando en su proyecto. / My sister is working on her project.
• El músico está tocando la guitarra en el escenario. / The musician is playing the guitar on stage.

Condition

We use estar when we’re talking about temporary states or conditions. It can convey states or circumstances that may vary over time like health conditions, emotional states, physical states or temporary characteristics.

• Estoy cansado. / I am tired.
• Ella está feliz. / She is happy.
• Los niños están enfermos. / The children are sick.
• El agua está caliente. / The water is hot.
• El coche está sucio. / The car is dirty.

Emotions

In this case, estar is used to describe how someone is feeling or a current emotional state. Using estar with emotions helps share how someone is feeling at a specific moment, providing information about their temporary emotional state. It’s because of that temporary nature that emotions have, that we use estar.

• Estoy feliz. / I am happy.
• Ella está triste. / She is sad.
• Ellos están emocionados. / They are excited.
• Tú estás enojado. / You are angry.
• Estamos sorprendidos por la noticia. / We are surprised by the news.

Ser vs Estar: When & How to Use Them

Understanding the distinction between ser and estar is really important if you’re learning Spanish. These two verbs translate to “to be” in English but are used for different purposes in Spanish. Ser is used for more permanent situations or inherent qualities, describing what’s always true, while estar is employed for temporary states or conditions. Let’s explore this through some examples.

Ser vs. Estar: Boredom

Understanding when to use ser and estar in the context of expressing boredom is really important. When you say “La película es aburrida” (The movie is boring), you use ser to say that the movie inherently possesses the quality of dullness. On the other hand, when you say “Estoy aburrido” (I am bored), you use estar to express a temporary emotional state, indicating that you feel bored at this moment but it might change later. This distinction enables you to communicate whether boredom is an inherent characteristic of the movie or a temporary feeling you are experiencing.

Ser vs. Estar: States of Being

When we talk about someone’s intelligence or the cleanliness of something, we use ser to describe permanent qualities. For example, “Él es inteligente” (He is intelligent) talks about someone’s general intelligence. “El coche es sucio” (The car is dirty) tells us that the car is consistently dirty.

When we use estar, it’s for temporary states or feelings. So, saying “Hoy estoy inteligente” (Today I am smart) uses “estar” because it expresses a temporary feeling of being clever, likely in a specific situation. Similarly, “Después de jugar, el niño está sucio” (After playing, the child is dirty) tells us the child is temporarily dirty, specifically after playing. This way, we can be clear about whether we’re talking about something lasting or just for the moment.

Ser vs. Estar: Emotions

If we want to express emotions, choosing between ser and estar is crucial for conveying whether the emotion is a general trait or a temporary state. For example, saying “Él es feliz” (He is happy) uses ser to describe his general disposition. In contrast, using estar as in “Él está feliz hoy” (He is happy today) conveys a temporary feeling of happiness specific to the current day. This distinction is vital for accurately expressing enduring emotions versus those influenced by particular moments or situations.

Ser vs. Estar: Appearance

In matters of appearance, the choice between ser and estar helps communicate whether the attribute being described is a constant or a temporary state. For example, using ser in sentences like “Ella es guapa” (She is beautiful) conveys a permanent quality of physical appearance. On the other hand, employing estar in sentences like “Ella está guapa con ese vestido” (She looks beautiful in that dress) indicates a more temporary state, influenced by a specific dress or external situation. This distinction lets you communicate accurately about whether the description refers to a lasting characteristic or a momentary aspect of appearance.

Ser vs. Estar: Location

When we talk about where things are, using ser or estar helps us show if the location is always the same or if it can change. For example, “Madrid es la capital de España” (Madrid is the capital of Spain) uses ser to say that Madrid is always the capital. But when we say “Estamos en el parque” (We are in the park), using estar tells us we’re in the park right now, and the location can change. So, ser is for constant places, and estar is for places that can change.

Ser vs. Estar: Temperature

To talk about how hot or cold something is, using ser or estar helps us say if it’s always like that or if it’s just for now. For example, when we say “El verano es caliente” (Summer is hot), using ser, we mean that summer is always hot. But if we say “El café está caliente” (The coffee is hot), using estar means the coffee is hot right now. So, ser is for things that are always in a certain temperature, and estar is for things with a temporary temperature that can change.

Ser vs. Estar: Taste

If we want to discuss the flavor of things, deciding between ser and estar helps us express whether the taste is a regular characteristic or a passing experience. For example, using ser, like in “Las manzanas son dulces” (Apples are sweet), tells us that apples are always sweet. However, if we use estar, as in “El café está delicioso” (The coffee tastes delicious), it means the coffee tastes good right now, perhaps due to a special preparation. This choice allows us to clearly talk about whether the taste is something consistent (using ser) or something momentary (using estar).

Learn Spanish with Langoly!

Constant practice is essential to truly grasp the differences between ser and estar. And there are many Spanish resources to help you practice using these two verbs. Spanish apps have quick lessons to teach you basic grammar conjugation. But, if you want more in-depth explanations, a Spanish book is a better option. Spanish podcasts are a good way to listen and become used to the language. Or, you might enjoy watching YouTube videos with subtitles to practice listening and reading.

If you prefer having more guidance and structure in your studies, an online course is the best option for you. We created the Siempre Spanish course to teach you the skills you need to start speaking in Spanish. Instead of simply memorizing random phrases, you study with real native Spanish speakers and learn to use the language in context. Start learning today and become conversational in Spanish!

Ser vs Estar: FAQ