SER VS. E

STAR

TO B

E OR N

OT TO B

E?

SER AND ESTAR ARE BOTH TO BE VERBS

We have already learned that there are two “to be” verbs in Spanish.

Here they are along with there conjugations. Please write them down along with their translations:

SER TO BE ESTAR TO BE

Yo SOY NosotrosSOMOS

Yo estoy NosotrosESTAMOS

Tú ERES Tú estás

Él ESElla ESUsted ES

Ellos SONEllas SONUstedes SON

Él estáElla estáUsted está

Ellos estánEllas estánUstedes están

HOW DO I REMEMBER?

Use the Acronyms DOCTOR and PLACE

The followings slides will tell use what those stand for.

Use the Acronyms DOCTOR and PLACE

The followings slides will tell use what those stand for.

SER – GENERAL RULE

General Ser Rule

Ser is used to classify and identify permanent or lasting attributes. If the general rule isn´t specific enough for you, think of the acronym DOCTOR, which stands for 

Description, Occupation, Characteristic, Time, Origin, and Relationship.

As with any rule, there may be exceptions to the permanent vs. temporary state of being, but it is a place to start when deciding which verb to use in Spanish.

DOCTOR SER– D IS FOR DESCRIPTION

For description, think of what you would say if someone asked you "What´s he like?" These are the essential qualities that define a person and probably won´t change. They can be a name or a physical description.

Yo Yo soysoy Raúl.  Raúl. (I (I amam Raúl.) Raúl.)

Yo Yo soysoy baja, pelirroja y seria baja, pelirroja y seria. . 

(I (I amam short, red-haired, and  short, red-haired, and serious.)serious.)

DOCTOR SER O IS FOR OCCUPATION

Occupations are seen as life-long careers Occupations are seen as life-long careers and are therefore seen as more and are therefore seen as more "permanent" than many people would "permanent" than many people would think in the United States.think in the United States.

SoySoy maestra del español.  maestra del español. (I (I amam a Spanish  a Spanish teacher.)teacher.)

Ellos Ellos sonson estudiantes.  estudiantes. (They (They areare students.) students.)Mi padre Mi padre es camareres camareroo. . (My father (My father isis a  a

waiter.)waiter.)No Indefinite ArticlesNo Indefinite ArticlesNotice that the indefinite articles Notice that the indefinite articles un, una, un, una,

unos,unos, and  and unasunas  are are omittedomitted when  when describing an occupation after the verb serdescribing an occupation after the verb ser

DOCTOR SER– C IS FOR CHARACTERISTICS

Characteristics are personality Characteristics are personality descriptions of a person. These descriptions of a person. These would probably be the second would probably be the second thing you say to "What´s he like?"thing you say to "What´s he like?"

Amalia Amalia eses inteligente, bonita, y  inteligente, bonita, y amableamable. . (Amelia (Amelia isis intelligent, pretty,  intelligent, pretty, and friendly.)and friendly.)

Mi esposo Mi esposo eses romántico y cariñoso romántico y cariñoso. . (My (My husband husband isis romantic and caring.) romantic and caring.)

DOCTOR SER – T IS FOR TIME

Time includes days, dates, and hours. For hours, Time includes days, dates, and hours. For hours, use es for one o´clock and son for all other use es for one o´clock and son for all other hours.hours.

Hoy Hoy eses lunes, el veintisiete de febrero lunes, el veintisiete de febrero. . (Today (Today isis Monday, February 27th.)Monday, February 27th.)

Mañana es mi cumpleañosMañana es mi cumpleaños. . (Tomorrow is my (Tomorrow is my birthday.)birthday.)

Ahora Ahora eses la una y media. la una y media.  (Right now (Right now it´sit´s one  one thirty.)thirty.)

SonSon las cinco y veinticinco las cinco y veinticinco. . ((It´sIt´s five twenty five.) five twenty five.)

DOCTOR SER – O #2 IS FOR ORIGIN

As the place a person is from or the As the place a person is from or the material something is made from is not material something is made from is not going to change we use ser for origin.going to change we use ser for origin.

Celia Celia eses de  de EspañaEspaña. . (Celia (Celia isis from Spain.) from Spain.)

Adela Adela eses  mexicanamexicana. . (Adela (Adela isis Mexican.) Mexican.)

Mi Mi anilloanillo  eses de  de orooro. . (My ring (My ring isis gold.) gold.)

DOCTOR SER R IS FOR RELATIONSHIPS

Relationships are described with the verb SER

Lynn Lynn eses mi madre.  mi madre. ((Lynn Lynn isis my  my mother.)mother.)

Marcos Marcos eses mi ex- mi ex-novio. novio. (Marcos (Marcos isis my ex-boyfriend.) my ex-boyfriend.)

Andrés Andrés eses mi hermano.  mi hermano. (Andre is my (Andre is my brother.)brother.)

ESTAR IS THE PLACE TO BE!

General Estar RuleEstar is used to indicate temporary states and locations. If the general rule doesn´t suffice, think of the acronym PLACE, which stands for Position, Location, Action, Condition, and Emotion.THERE ARE ALWAYS EXCEPTIONS!!!

ESTAR IS THE PLACE – P IS FOR POSITION 1. Position

Position is the physical position or posture a Position is the physical position or posture a person or thing is in.person or thing is in.

Mi abuela Mi abuela estáestá sentada. sentada.  (My (My grandmother grandmother isis sitting down/seated.) sitting down/seated.)

El libro El libro está debajo deestá debajo de la mesa la mesa. (The book is . (The book is under the table.)under the table.)

ESTAR IS THE PLACE TO BE – L IS FOR LOCATION

The location of someone or something The location of someone or something describes where it is permanently, describes where it is permanently, temporarily, actually, or conceptually.temporarily, actually, or conceptually.

El baño El baño estáestá al lado de la cafetería al lado de la cafetería. . (The (The bathroom bathroom is next to the cafeteriais next to the cafeteria.).)

EstamosEstamos en el café ahora y vamos a estar en  en el café ahora y vamos a estar en el cine en 20 minutosel cine en 20 minutos. . (We (We areare at the café  at the café right now and we right now and we will bewill be at the movie  at the movie theatre in 20 minutes.)theatre in 20 minutes.)

Madrid está en España. Madrid está en España. (Madrid is in Spain(Madrid is in Spain.) .)

ESTAR IS THE PLACE TO BE A IS FOR ACTIONEstar is used to describe an ongoing action

using the present progressive tense. (You will learn more about that later )

EstoyEstoy lavando los platos  lavando los platos suciossucios. . (I (I amam washing the dirty dishes.) washing the dirty dishes.)

EstamosEstamos leyendo los  leyendo los periódicosperiódicos. . (We (We areare reading the  reading the newspapers.)newspapers.)

Mi bisabuelo Mi bisabuelo estáestá muerto muerto. (My great-grandfather is dead.)

ESTAR IS THE PLACE TO BE- C IS FOR CONDITION

Physical and mental conditions are Physical and mental conditions are described using estar.described using estar.

EstoyEstoy  tan cansada esta   tan cansada esta mañanamañana. . (I (I amam so tired this morning.) so tired this morning.)

Mis niños Mis niños estánestán enfermos hoy enfermos hoy. . (My (My children children areare sick today.) sick today.)

Mi madre Mi madre estáestá un poca loca un poca loca. . (My (My mother mother isis (acting) a little crazy.) (acting) a little crazy.)

ESTAR IS THE PLACE TO BE – E IS FOR EMOTIONHow a person is feeling at a certain moment is How a person is feeling at a certain moment is

described using estar. Emotions can change. described using estar. Emotions can change.

EstoyEstoy  triste  triste. . (I (I amam sad.) sad.)

Ella Ella estáestá contenta porque recibió unas flores  contenta porque recibió unas flores de su novio.de su novio.

  (She (She isis happy because she received some  happy because she received some flowers from her boyfriend.)flowers from her boyfriend.)

USE DOCTOR SER OR ESTAR IS THE PLACE TO BE

If all else fails remember this rhyme:

HOW YOU FEELFEEL AND AND WHERE YOU ARE WHERE YOU ARE ALWAYS TAKE THE VERB ESTARESTAR!!!