to be – two very irregular verbs,
ser and
estar:
ser is used to describe fixed (static) identity/characteristics/quality
(e.g., colour, size, material, age, possession/owner) of a person
or thing, also numbers/calculations,
times, and prices:
La manzana es verde – The apple is green (colour green)
← essence, essential characteristic
Soy Miguel. Soy inglés. Es de Coventry. Es ingeniero.
El árbol es de madera – The tree is wooden
El coche nuevo es de Luis – The new car is Luis’s.
Tres y dos son cinco – Three plus two is five
Son las dos y media; Es la una.
¿Cuánto es? ¿Cuánto son? Son trece euros.
sea (present subjunctive singular, 1st or 3rd person) has
many uses:
o sea – that is, that is to say
en el primer trimestre, o sea, en los primeros tres meses
– in the first quarter, that is, in the first three months
sea como sea – in any case
cuando sea – whenever
lo que sea – whatever, anything
ya sea por x or y – whether it be x or y
ya sea huevo o gallina – whether it be chicken or egg
ya sea por motives de trabajo, o diversión – whether it
be for work or pleasure
aunque sea poco – although it be little
aunque sea pequeña, sea fuerte – although she be little,
she be strong
ojalá sea pronto – I hope it be soon
(Thanks to Nancy for collecting these.)
also ser is used before an infinitive, for passive actions
(see also passive voice), and where events are taking place:
Lo importante es decir la verdad – The important thing is
to tell the truth
Es fabricado en Espana – It is made in Spain
La fiesta será en Potes – The fiesta will be in Potes
estar is used to describe temporary state (mood/health/state/condition)
of a person or thing, also weather and (in Castilian) location:
La manzana está verde – The apple is green (unripe) ←
condition
El cielo ahora está rojo – The sky is red now ← at the
moment
¿Cómo estás? Estoy muy bien / ¿Cómo están?
Estamos cansados.
¿Dónde está el teatro? – Where is the theatre?
Bilbao está en el norte. – Bilbao is in the North
No está terminado – It isn’t finished
La mesa está hecha de madera – The table is made of wood
(passive tense)
Also haber and tener
can mean to be.
|
| Ser
|
| Estar
|
| Present
|
| yo
| soy
| I am
| estoy
|
| tú
| eres
| you are
| estás
|
| usted, él/ella
| es
| you are, he/she/it is
| está
|
| nosotros/as
| somos
| we are
| estamos
|
| vosotros/as
| sois
| you are
| estáis
|
| ustedes, ellos/ellas
| son
| you/they are
| están
|
| Preterite
|
|
| fui
| I was
| estuve
|
|
| fuiste
| you were
| estuviste
|
|
| fue
| you were, he/she/it was
| estuvo
|
|
| fuimos
| we were
| estuvimos
|
|
| fuisteis
| you were
| estuvisteis
|
|
| fueron
| you/they were
| estuvieron
|
| Imperfect
|
|
| era
| I was
| estaba
|
|
| eras
| you were
| estabas
|
|
| era
| you were, he/she/it was
| estaba
|
|
| éramos
| we were
| estábamos
|
|
| erais
| you were
| estabais
|
|
| eran
| you/they were
| estaban
|
| Future (is regular)
|
|
| seré
| I will be
| estaré
|
|
| serás
| you will be
| estarás
|
|
| será
| you/he/she/it will be
| estará
|
|
| seremos
| we will be
| estaremos
|
|
| seréis
| you will be
| estaréis
|
|
| serán
| you/they will be
| estarán
|
| Subjunctive
|
|
| sea
| I be
| esté
|
|
| seas
| you be, thou art
| estés
|
|
| sea
| you/he/she/it be
| esté
|
|
| seamos
| we be
| estemos
|
|
| seáis
| you be
| estéis
|
|
| sean
| you/they be
| estén
|
| Other
|
| Imperative tú
| sé
| be .. !
| está
|
| Imperative vosotros
| sed
| be .. !
| estad
|
| Gerund
| siendo
| being
| estando
|
| Past Participle
| sido
| been
| estado
|
Background
Ser vs. Estar (two verbs) only occurs in Iberian
romance languages (Spanish, Portugese, Galician, Catalan, and dialects).
- Ser is derived from a mix of two Latin verbs; esse –
to be, and sedere – to sit. e.g., in English, ‘sitting pretty’
or ‘it sits well with you’.
- Estar is derived from the Latin verb stare – to stand.
e.g., in English, ‘the church stands in the square’ or ‘standing
firm’.
Related to estado – state (of happiness, health, etc.).