What do estar mean in spanish

The location of an event or party is described using ser , not estar. La fiesta es en mi casa. The party is at my house. Find more on using estar with locations here! Estar is used to describe ongoing actions and is often followed by a present participle such as lavando or a past participle such as muerto. Intriguingly, death in Spanish is seen as an ongoing action, not a permanent state, so estar is used to talk about being dead.

Physical and mental conditions are described using estar. Things that are likely to vary over several hours, days, or even years can fall into this category. Find more on using estar with conditions here! How a person is feeling at a certain moment is described using estar. There are some words that can be used with both ser and estar to form verb phrases, and these take on different meanings depending on the verb.

Here are some examples of these types of phrases. Learn Spanish. Sign in. Conjugation and Uses. Present and Preterite. Common Errors. Present and Future. More Present and Preterite. Advanced Practice. Tricky Pairs Learning the differences between ser and estar , por and para , and the subjunctive and the indicative is often quite challenging for learners of Spanish.

Yo soy alta, morena, y delgada. Ellos son estudiantes. Mi padre era jardinero. Juanita es bailarina. Compare the following: examples Es doctora. Formal vs. Informal "You".

Definite and indefinite articles. The difference between "the" and "a", and how to say these in Spanish. Ser vs Estar: The two kinds of "to be". How to know when to say yo soy vs. How to talk about how you're feeling using the verbs estar and sentirse. Spanish false cognates "false friends". On the other hand, estar is used to refer to conditions that are temporary. As you go through this guide, think of the way in which the uses of ser are permanent and the uses of estar are temporary.

In Spanish, the verb ser is used to express different concepts. It is used to express descriptions, occupations, family relationships and much more.

Use the verb ser to describe people, animals or objects. You can also use ser to describe ideas and emotions. To refer to what a person does for a living, use the verb ser. Use ser to talk about the way you are related to someone else. Spanish speakers use ser to talk about the place in which an event took, takes or will take place.

Spanish speakers use two forms of ser to talk about time. Use ser to describe the weather of a place as a permanent trait.

In Spanish, estar is used to express health, mood, location, ongoing actions or opinion in terms of taste and appearance. Spanish speakers use estar to express a temporary physical condition. Estar is used to express how a person feels at a specific moment.

To express where someone or something is located at a certain moment use estar. The verb estar is always used to express continuous actions in Spanish. When you use estar to express an opinion about food, it means taste. When you use estar to express an opinion about appearance, it means look. When you want to express what the weather is like at a specific moment, use estar.

These are some common expressions with estar. As you know, you can use ser and estar to make descriptions. Be careful with the verb you use to make a description. The meaning of your description can change depending on the verb you use. When describing people, if you are talking about what someone is like, use ser. If you talk about the way someone feels or acts, use estar.

Now you know when to use ser and estar in Spanish! Clozemaster can help you memorize the uses of these challenging Spanish verbs in a fun way — check it out!

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Skip to content Ser , or estar , that is the question. Difference Between Ser and Estar The Spanish verb ser is usually used to describe traits that are permanent. Different Uses of Ser In Spanish, the verb ser is used to express different concepts.

Note similar differences in these examples:. Another way of thinking about the two verbs is to think of ser as being roughly equivalent to "equals. But there are exceptions. Among the major exceptions to the above way of thinking is that ser is used in expressions of time , such as " Son las dos de la tarde " for "It's 2 p. Along that line, estar is used to indicate location.

Estoy en casa. I am at home. I am from Mexico. Ser , however, is used for the location of events: La boda es en Nuevo Hampshire. The wedding is in New Hampshire. There are also a few idiomatic expressions that simply need to be learned: La manzana es verde. The apple is green. The apple is unripe. The meal tastes very good.