To Be (ser y estar)

Form

	Ser	Estar
yo	soy	estoy
tú	eres	estás
él/ella/Ud.	es	está
nosotros/as	somos	estamos
vosotros/as	sois	estáis
ellos/ellas/Uds.	son	están

Uses of ser

To indicate nationality or origin:

Ejemplo(s):

--David es de Tejas.

David is from Texas.
To describe intrinsic characteristics:

Ejemplo(s):

--Los árboles son altos.

The trees are tall.
To indicate dates and time:

Ejemplo(s):

--Hoy es lunes, 16 de septiembre y son las 11:30 de la mañana.

Today is Monday, the 16th of September, and it is 11:30 in the morning.
To form the passive voice with the past participle:

Ejemplo(s):

--El premio fue ortogado por el comité.

The prize was awarded by the committee.

Uses of estar

To indicate where people, objects and places are located*:

Ejemplo(s):

--El coche está en el parking.

The car is in the parking lot.

* Use ser to describe where an event takes place.

--La clase de español es en Wescoe.

The Spanish class is in Wescoe..
To express mental states that result from an action or event:

Ejemplo(s):

--Estoy deprimida porque saqué una “F” en el examen.

I’m depressed because I got an “F” on the exam.
To express physical states that result from an action or event:

Ejemplo(s):

--El chico está cansado después de correr 5 millas.

The boy is tired after running 5 miles.
To express something unexpected:

Ejemplo(s):

--¿No está muy delgada Carolina?

Doesn’t Carolina look really thin?

In general, the verb ser is used to express characteristics or inherent circumstances, while the verb estar is used to describe a resulting state. Equating ser with permanent states and estar with non-permanent states, can lead to erroneous verb use. Take a look at the following example:

Ejemplo(s):: --Mi abuela se murió el año pasado.; My grandmother died last year.; --Mi abuela está muerta.; My grandmother is dead.

Death is a permanent state but estar is used because death is the state or condition resulting from dying.