Ser vs Estar
Uses of Ser
Ser is used to talk about permanent or lasting attributes. If this general rule is
too vague for you, think of the acronym DOCTOR, which stands
for Descriptions, Occupations, Characteristics, Time, Origin,
and Relationships. Let's take a look at each of the above categories
individually.
1. Descriptions
Descriptions are the essential qualities that define a person or thing and
probably won’t change anytime soon. These descriptions can
be names, physical descriptions, nationalities, and even religions.
EXAMPLES
Yo soy Raúl.
I am Raul.
Yo soy alta, morena, y delgada.
I am tall, dark-skinned, and thin.
Bob es inglés.
Bob is English.
Andrés es católico.
Andres is Catholic.
Find more on using ser with descriptions here!
2. Occupations
An occupation is what someone does for a living or as a hobby. Basically, if
you're talking about how someone makes money or fills their time, you'll
use ser.
EXAMPLES
Soy profesora de español.
I am a Spanish teacher.
Ellos son estudiantes.
They are students.
Mi padre era jardinero.
My father was a gardener.
Juanita es bailarina.
Juanita is a dancer.
Notice that the indefinite articles un
, una
, unos
, and unas
may not be used when talking about occupations with ser. They're often only
included if extra information following the occupation is given. Compare the
following:
EXAMPLES
Es doctora.
She's a doctor.
Es una doctora que tiene vocación por ayudar a sus pacientes.
She's a doctor who's dedicated to helping her patients.
3. Characteristics
Characteristics are personality descriptions of a person. This category is
included to hammer home the point that ser is used to talk about descriptions.
EXAMPLES
Amalia es inteligente, atrevida, y amable.
Amalia is intelligent, daring, and friendly.
Mi esposo es romántico y cariñoso.
My husband is romantic and caring.
4. Time
Time can refer to days, dates, years, and the time on the clock.
EXAMPLES
Hoy es miércoles.
Today is Wednesday.
Ayer fue mi cumpleaños.
Yesterday was my birthday.
Ahora es la una.
Right now it is one o’clock.
Son las cinco veinticinco.
It's five twenty-five.
Find more on using ser with time here!
5. Origin
The place a person or thing is from or the material something is made of can
be considered an origin.
EXAMPLES
Celia es de España.
Celia is from Spain.
Este chocolate es de México.
This chocolate is from Mexico.
Las sillas son de madera.
The chairs are made of wood.
Mi anillo es de oro.
My ring is made of gold.
6. Relationships
Personal relationships, such as family ties, friendship, and romantic
relationships, are also talked about using ser.
EXAMPLES
Lynne es mi madre.
Lynne is my mother.
Marcos es mi exnovio.
Marcos is my ex-boyfriend.
Juana es mi jefe.
Juana is my boss.
Uses of Estar
Estar is used to indicate temporary states and locations. If that general
rule doesn’t suffice, there are two acronyms that you can think
of, PLACE and LoCo. PLACE stands
for Position, Location, Action, Condition, and Emotion. LoCo stands
for Locations and Conditions. Let's look at PLACE now.
1. Position
Position refers to the physical position or posture a person or thing is
in.
EXAMPLES
Mi abuela está sentada.
My grandmother is seated.
Estaba acostada cuando me llamaste.
I was lying down when you called me.
2. Location
The location of someone or something describes where it is permanently,
temporarily, or conceptually.
EXAMPLES
El baño está a la derecha de la sala.
The bathroom is to the right of the living room.
Estamos en el café ahora y estaremos en el cine en 20 minutos.
We are at the café right now and we will be at the movie theater in 20 minutes.
Mi abuelo está en la luna.
My grandfather is out of it.
Exception! The location of an event or party is described using ser, not estar.
La fiesta es en mi casa.
(The party is at my house.)
Find more on using estar with locations here!
3. Actions
Estar is used to describe ongoing actions and is often followed by
a present participle (such as lavando
) or a past participle (such as muerto
).
EXAMPLES
Estoy lavando los platos sucios.
I am washing the dirty dishes.
Estamos leyendo los periódicos.
We are reading the newspapers.
Mi bisabuelo está muerto.
My great-grandfather is dead.
Intriguingly, death in Spanish is seen as an ongoing action, not a permanent state,
so estar is used to talk about being dead.
4. Conditions
Physical and mental conditions are described using estar. Things that are
likely to vary over several hours, days, or even years can fall into this
category.
EXAMPLES
Estoy tan cansada esta mañana.
I am so tired this morning.
Mis niños están enfermos hoy.
My children are sick today.
Mi padre está un poco loco.
My father is a little crazy.
Find more on using estar with conditions here!
5. Emotions
How a person is feeling at a certain moment is described using estar.
EXAMPLES
Estoy triste.
I am sad.
Ella está contenta porque recibió unas flores de su novio.
She is happy because she got some flowers from her boyfriend.
Meaning Changes With Ser and Estar Phrases
There are some words that can be used with both ser and estar to form
verb phrases, and these take on different meanings depending on the
verb. Here are some examples of these types of phrases.
SER PHRASE ENGLISH ESTAR PHRASE ENGLISH
ser aburrido to be boring estar aburrido to be bored
to be
ser bueno to be good estar bueno tasty/attractive
ser cansado to be a tiring person estar cansado to be tired
ser grave to be serious estar grave to be seriously ill
ser listo to be clever estar listo to be ready
ser malo to be bad estar malo to be ill
to be conceited or
ser orgulloso estar orgulloso to be proud
vain
ser moreno to be dark-skinned estar moreno to be tanned
ser pálido to be pale-skinned estar pálido to be pale
to be heavy/to be
ser pesado estar pesado to be annoying
boring
ser rico to be rich estar rico to be tasty
ser seguro to be safe estar seguro to be certain
ser verde to be green estar verde to be unripe
ser viejo to be old estar viejo to look old
ser vivo to be sharp estar vivo to be alive
