🔧 Grammar ★ Core Say it yourself

Ser and estar

Choose ser or estar for basic identity, description, condition and location.

Use ser for identity, origin, profession, defining characteristics and time; estar for location and current condition.

Patterns to reuse
ser + identity/origin/profession/characteristic/time
to be: what something is
estar + location/state
to be: where/how something is
Watch out for
Soy en Madrid.
Estoy en Madrid.

Location uses estar.

Estoy ingeniero.
Soy ingeniero.

Profession uses ser, normally without an article.

Soy británico y soy programador.
I am British and I am a programmer.
soy bree-TAH-nee-koh ee soy proh-grah-mah-DOHR
Estoy cansado pero estoy bien.
I am tired but I am fine.
ehs-TOY kahn-SAH-doh PEH-roh ehs-TOY byehn
Valencia está en España.
Valencia is in Spain.
bah-LEHN-thyah ehs-TAH ehn ehs-PAH-nyah
La reunión es a las tres.
The meeting is at three.
lah rreh-oo-NYOHN ehs ah lahs trehs
Conjugations
Ser
soyeresessomossoisson
Estar
estoyestásestáestamosestáisestán
Core uses
Ser
identityoriginprofessiondescriptiontime/date
Estar
locationtemporary/current condition
Note

Do not reduce the contrast to permanent versus temporary; use the functional categories.

Try it out loud
choice
Choose ser or estar for origin, location, profession and mood.
What to include

ser, estar, ser, estar

production
Give two true sentences with ser and two with estar.
What to include

Cover identity/origin and location/state.

correction
Correct: “La clase está a las diez.”
What to include

La clase es a las diez.

Happy with all of this?
  • I can give the present forms of ser and estar.
  • I can select the right verb in the main A1 situations.

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