Ser vs estar: when to use each Spanish verb
Level A1
Ser or estar? Learn the difference between Spanish's two 'to be' verbs with clear rules, the DOCTOR and PLACE memory aids, and examples.
English has one verb, to be. Spanish has two, ser and estar, and choosing the wrong one can change the meaning of a sentence completely. The good news is that the choice follows a small set of rules, and most of the time you can decide in two seconds.
Why this is hard for English speakers
You never had to choose before. I am tired, I am a teacher and I am in Madrid all use the same verb, so there is no habit to lean on. Spanish splits those jobs: Estoy cansado, Soy profesor, Estoy en Madrid. Two things make it worse.
- The usual shortcut is only half true. "Ser is permanent, estar is temporary" works for Soy alto (I am tall) and Estoy cansado (I am tired). It breaks on Está muerto (he is dead, which is permanent) and La fiesta es en mi casa (the party is at my house, which is a temporary event). Use the rules below instead.
- The wrong verb is still grammatical, so nobody warns you. Soy aburrido is a perfect Spanish sentence, but it means "I am a boring person". If you wanted "I am bored", you needed Estoy aburrido.
Ser: what something is
Think of ser as the verb for identity and lasting traits. The classic memory aid is DOCTOR: Description, Occupation, Characteristic, Time, Origin, Relationship.
| Use | Example |
|---|---|
| Identity, occupation | Ella es médica. (She is a doctor.) |
| Description, character | Mi hermano es alto. (My brother is tall.) |
| Origin, nationality | Soy de Londres. (I am from London.) |
| Time, date, day | Son las tres. (It is three o'clock.) Hoy es lunes. (Today is Monday.) |
| Material, possession | La mesa es de madera. (The table is made of wood.) El libro es de Ana. (The book is Ana's.) |
| Where an event takes place | El concierto es en el parque. (The concert is in the park.) |
Estar: how or where something is
Use estar for the state, position or situation of something right now. The memory aid is PLACE: Position, Location, Action, Condition, Emotion.
| Use | Example |
|---|---|
| Location of things and people | El banco está en la calle Mayor. (The bank is on Mayor Street.) |
| Emotion, condition | Estoy cansado. (I am tired.) La sopa está fría. (The soup is cold.) |
| Ongoing action (with -ando / -iendo) | Estoy comiendo. (I am eating.) |
| Result of a change | La puerta está abierta. (The door is open.) |
| How someone looks or feels today | Estás muy guapa hoy. (You look very pretty today.) |
Adjectives that change meaning
A few adjectives are the reason people say Spanish is hard. The verb you pick changes the meaning.
- Es aburrido (he is boring) vs Está aburrido (he is bored)
- Es listo (he is clever) vs Está listo (he is ready)
- Es malo (he is a bad person) vs Está malo (he is sick)
- Es guapa (she is good-looking) vs Está guapa (she looks good today)
Quick test: Ask "what is it?" or "what is it like?" and you get ser. Ask "where is it?" or "how is it right now?" and you get estar. Location of an event is the one exception that uses ser.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between ser and estar?
Both mean 'to be'. Use ser for identity and lasting traits: who or what something is, where it is from, what it is made of, the time and the date (Soy profesor, Es de madera, Son las tres). Use estar for location and for how something is right now: condition, emotion and ongoing actions (Estoy en casa, Estoy cansado, Estoy comiendo).
Is it true that ser is permanent and estar is temporary?
It helps as a first guess but it is not a rule. 'Está muerto' (he is dead) uses estar even though death is permanent, and 'La fiesta es en mi casa' (the party is at my house) uses ser even though the party is temporary. The reliable rule: ser for what something is, estar for location and current state.
Why do Spanish speakers say 'estoy aburrido' and 'soy aburrido' differently?
With some adjectives the verb changes the meaning. 'Soy aburrido' means 'I am a boring person'. 'Estoy aburrido' means 'I am bored'. The same pattern applies to listo (clever vs ready) and malo (bad vs sick).
Do I use ser or estar for location?
Use estar for the location of people and things: 'El banco está en la calle Mayor', 'Estoy en Madrid'. The one exception is an event, which takes ser: 'La fiesta es en mi casa', 'El concierto es en el parque'.
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