Pralingo

Spanish · A2 · Grammar

Telling ser and estar apart with confidence

You know the basic rule from A1: ser for identity, origin and characteristics, estar for how someone feels and where something is. Now you go further: you learn where and when something takes place, how to describe current states and why some adjectives mean something different with ser and estar.

Quick review

serestar
yosoyestoy
túeresestás
él/ella/ustedesestá
nosotros/assomosestamos
vosotros/assoisestáis
ellos/ellas/ustedessonestán

Use ser to say who or what someone is: identity, job, origin and characteristics. Mi prima es enfermera. (My cousin is a nurse.) Mis abuelos son de Cuba. (My grandparents are from Cuba.)

Use estar to say where someone is and how they are feeling right now: Estamos en la oficina. (We are at the office.) Hoy estoy muy cansada. (I am very tired today.)

What someone is like – and how things are right now

ser describes what someone or something is like: Mi hermano es alto y simpático. (My brother is tall and nice.) estar describes a state, often as the result of something: El café está frío. (The coffee is cold.) La ventana está abierta. (The window is open.) Pedro está contento con su nuevo trabajo. (Pedro is happy with his new job.)

Be careful with the rule of thumb "ser = permanent, estar = temporary". It is often true, but not always: Es joven. (He is young.) changes over time and still takes ser. Está casado. (He is married.) is a state after the wedding and takes estar. A better question: am I describing what someone is like, or what state they are in?

Where and when?

Use estar to say where a person, an object or a place is: Mi casa está en Panamá. (My house is in Panama.) ¿Dónde están mis llaves? (Where are my keys?)

With events, however, "to be" means "to take place". Then you use ser, also for the place: La fiesta es en mi casa. (The party is at my house.) El concierto es el sábado. (The concert is on Saturday.) This is how you ask: ¿Dónde es la fiesta? (Where is the party?)

Days, dates and times also take ser: Hoy es viernes. (Today is Friday.) Son las ocho. (It is eight o'clock.)

Same adjective, different meaning

Some adjectives change their meaning depending on whether ser or estar comes before them:

aburrido: La película es aburrida. (The film is boring.) – Los niños están aburridos. (The children are bored.)

listo: Tu hija es muy lista. (Your daughter is very clever.) – ¿Estás listo? (Are you ready?)

bueno: Este libro es muy bueno. (This book is very good.) – La sopa está muy buena. (The soup tastes very good.) Said about people, estar bueno colloquially means "to be good-looking, attractive" – better to use it with care.

malo: Fumar es malo. (Smoking is bad.) – La leche está mala. (The milk has gone off.) In Spain Estoy malo. also means "I am ill"; in Latin America people usually say Estoy enfermo.

verde: Mi coche es verde. (My car is green.) – Los tomates están verdes. (The tomatoes are not ripe yet.)

Typical pitfalls

Place or event? Mi casa está en Panamá. – but La fiesta es en mi casa.

Es feliz. (He is a happy person.) – Está feliz. (He is happy right now, for example because of good news.) Both are correct. contento, on the other hand, only goes with estar: Estoy contento.

Es guapo. (He is good-looking.) – Está guapo. (He looks especially good today, for example in a new suit.) This is how you pay a compliment: ¡Qué guapa estás hoy! (You look great today!)

Examples

  • La fiesta es en mi casa.
  • Mi casa está en Panamá.
  • Los niños están aburridos.
  • ¿Estás listo?
  • La sopa está muy buena.
  • ¡Qué guapa estás hoy!

Exercises

To warm up: origin, job and identity with ser; location, feelings and states with estar.

A2Grammarser and estar in depth

Exercise 1 of 11

Who, where and how?

Choose the correct form for each sentence.

Mis de Colombia.
Mi tío médico en un hospital de Lima.
Este señor mi profesor de español.
Mis padres en el supermercado.
Yo hoy un poco triste.
La sopa fría. ¿Pedimos otra?
La puerta del baño cerrada.
Mi madre muy contenta con su nuevo coche.

For each sentence, ask yourself: is it about where a person or thing is – or about an event that takes place somewhere and at some time?

A2Grammarser and estar in depth

Exercise 2 of 11

Where is it – and where does it take place?

Choose the correct form for each sentence.

El concierto en el parque central.
El parque cerca de la estación.
Mañana el cumpleaños de Lucía.
Mis amigos en la playa.
La a las diez en la 4.
¿Dónde el baño, por favor?
La boda en una del centro.

Now it's about the adjectives that mean something different with ser and estar. The same word – two meanings.

A2Grammarser and estar in depth

Exercise 3 of 11

What does the sentence mean?

Choose the best-fitting meaning for each sentence.

Pay attention to whether the sentence uses ser or estar.

When listening, a short word often decides the meaning: es or está. Listen carefully.

A2Grammarser and estar in depth

Exercise 4 of 11

es or está?

Listen to the sentence and choose what you hear.

Which sentence is it? You can see the meaning when you point at a sentence.

0 / 6

Now you apply the differences in meaning. Read each sentence to the end: the context shows you which meaning is intended.

A2Grammarser and estar in depth

Exercise 5 of 11

The context decides

Choose the form that fits the context.

No me gusta este : muy aburrido.
Los niños no tienen . aburridos.
Mi sobrina siempre . muy lista.
La cena lista.
Mi médico muy bueno: siempre me lo explica todo.
Hoy no voy a trabajar porque malo.
Las todavía verdes.

Two everyday situations: which sentence fits exactly?

A2Grammarser and estar in depth

Exercise 6 of 11

A compliment at the wedding

Choose the right sentence.

Your friend comes to the wedding in a new suit. You tell him that he looks great today.

A2Grammarser and estar in depth

Exercise 7 of 11

In the fridge

Choose the right sentence.

You take a cheese out of the fridge. It smells strange and has gone off. What do you say?

A mistake that often happens even to advanced learners. Can you find it?

A2Grammarser and estar in depth

Exercise 8 of 11

Is the sentence correct?

Correct the sentence.

La fiesta de Lucía está en su casa.

Finally, everything mixed and without options: Sofía writes to her friend Marta. For each gap, think about who is meant and what it is about.

A2Grammarser and estar in depth

Exercise 9 of 11

A message from Lima

Write the correct form of ser or estar.

¡Hola, Marta! ¿Qué tal ?
Yo en Lima con mi hermano.
Lima una ciudad muy grande y mi hermano muy contento aquí.
Mañana la boda de nuestro primo.
La fiesta en un hotel .
Ahora un poco cansada, pero muy feliz.
A2Grammarser and estar in depth

Exercise 10 of 11

Flashcards: same adjective, different meaning

Read the meaning, think of the Spanish expression and then reveal the solution.

ser or estar?

to be boringser aburrido
to be boredestar aburrido
to be cleverser listo
to be readyestar listo
to be good (quality, character)ser bueno
to taste goodestar bueno
to be badser malo
to have gone off; to be ill (Spain)estar malo
to be green (colour)ser verde
to be unripeestar verde
A2Grammarser and estar in depth

Exercise 11 of 11

Flashcards: write the expressions

Read the meaning, write the Spanish expression and check your answer.

ser or estar?

to be boringser aburrido
to be boredestar aburrido
to be cleverser listo
to be readyestar listo
to be good (quality, character)ser bueno
to taste goodestar bueno
to be badser malo
to have gone off; to be ill (Spain)estar malo
to be green (colour)ser verde
to be unripeestar verde