Realidades 1

SER vs. ESTAR

SER VS. ESTAR You already know the verb

ESTAR. It means “to be”

SER VS. ESTARThere is another verb in

Spanish that means “to be.” It is the verb SER.

SER VS. ESTAR SER is an irregular verb, just

like ESTAR, so you must memorize all its forms.

SER VS. ESTAR There are certain occasions

in which you will use either SER or ESTAR.

Let’s review ESTAR first!

ESTAR Used for telling

LOCATION.

For example:

ESTAR

El libro está en la mesa.

The book is on the table.

Yo estoy en Guatemala.

I am in Guatemala.

ESTAR Used to tell CONDITION.

For example:

ESTAREduardo está ocupado.

Eduardo is busy.

Ana y Luisa están enfermas.

Ana and Luisa are sick.

TO BE (In English)I am

You are

He

She is

It

We are

They are

ESTARYo estoy

Tú estás

Ud.

Él está

Ella

Nosotros estamos

Vosotros estáis

Uds.

Ellos están

Ellas

Ok, now let’s see whatthe verb SER looks like.Remember, all it’s formsare totally irregular andthey follow NO pattern.You must memorize them!

SERYo soy

Tú eres

Ud.

Él es

Ella

Nosotros somos

Vosotros sois

Uds.

Ellos son

Ellas

SER Used to tell TIME and DATE.

Son las dos y media.

It is two thirty.

Es el veinte de noviembre.

It is the twentieth of November.

SER Used to tell NATIONALITY.

For example:

Yo soy americana.

Él es colombiano.

SER Used to tell WHERE

SOMEONE OR SOMETHING IS FROM.

Tú eres de Costa Rica.

Ellas son de España.

SER To tell what someone or something is

or what someone or something is like.

Pepper es una perrita buena.

Eduardo y José son hombres.

Eduardo y José son altos.

SER Used to describe

CHARACTERISTICS.

Rebeca es alta.

Enrique y yo somos guapos.

To summarize… Ser is used to talk about characteristics that

generally do NOT change (traits). Estar is used to talk about conditions that

tend to change (states).