Master SER and ESTAR: Essential Practice for Real-Life Conversations – Episode 107

Master SER and ESTAR: Essential Practice for Real-Life Conversations

Podcast episode 107 – SEE ALL EPISODES

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

---

Hi, hola, I’m Maria Fernandez and today we’re exploring SER and ESTAR. These two verbs both mean “to be” in English, but they’re used quite differently in Spanish. Let’s break it down with some examples.

First, let’s look at SER. We use SER for:

1. Identity. For example: Soy María. (I am María.)
2. Origin. For example: Son de México. (They’re from Mexico.)
3. Profession. For example: Pedro es médico. (Peter is a doctor.)
4. Essential characteristics. For example: Es una casa grande. (It’s a big house.)

Now, let’s now look at ESTAR. We use ESTAR for:

1. Location. For example: Está en la mesa. (It’s on the table.)
2. Temporary conditions. For example: Mi abuela está feliz hoy. (My grandmother is happy today.)
3. Ongoing actions. For example: Estás estudiando español. (You are studying Spanish.)

Find out more about my Spanish courses.

Now, let’s do some practice. First you are going to tell me the six forms of the verb SER in the present tense. I’ll say them after you:

– I am – soy
– You [tú] are – eres
– He/She/It is – es
– We are – somos
– You [vosotros] are – sois
– They are – son

And now tell me the six forms of the verb ESTAR in the present tense. I’ll say them after you:

– I am – estoy
– You [tú] are – estás
– He/She/It is – está
– We are – estamos
– You [vosotros] are – estáis
– They are – están

Now I’m going to describe three situations, and you’re going to tell me whether you need SER or ESTAR. Are you ready? Let’s go!

Situation 1: You’re at a party and want to introduce yourself. You say, “I’m John.”

I’ll give you 3 seconds.

The answer is “Soy John”, or, if you prefer, “Soy Juan.”

We use SER here because we’re stating our identity.

Situation number 2: Your friend looks tired. You want to ask, “Are you tired?”

Think about which verb you’ll use: SER or ESTAR?

The word tired is, do you know it? Cansado.

I’ll give you 3 seconds.

So “Are you tired?” is: ¿Estás cansado?”

Here we use ESTAR because being tired is a temporary condition.

Situation number 3: You’re describing your job. You want to say, “My job is good.”

Think about which verb you’ll use: SER or ESTAR?

Do you know the word for “job”? It’s “trabajo”.

I’ll give you 3 seconds.

So “My job is good” is: Mi trabajo es bueno.

Here we use SER because we’re stating an essential characteristic.

Now, listen to a short conversation and notice how SER and ESTAR are used in real life. I’ll read it out once, then we’ll break it down.

Ana: ¡Hola, Pedro! ¿Qué tal?
Pedro: Estoy nervioso. Es mi primer día como profesor.
Ana: ¡Qué emocionante! ¿Dónde está la escuela?
Pedro: Está en el centro. Es un edificio antiguo, pero está bien mantenido.
Ana: ¡Qué genial! Eres muy listo, serás un profesor excelente.

Let’s break this down:

1. “¿Qué tal?” is a colloquial way of asking “How are you?”
2. “Estoy nervioso” – I’m nervous. “Estoy” indicates a temporary condition.
3. “Es mi primer día” – It’s my first day. It uses SER to identify or define. Another example would be: Es lunes. (It’s Monday.)
4. “¿Dónde está la escuela?” – Where is the school? It uses ESTAR to indicate location. Another example: ¿Dónde está el baño? (Where’s the bathroom?)
5. “Está en el centro” – It’s in the centre. It uses ESTAR for location. Another example: Está en la esquina. (It’s on the corner.)
6. “Es un edificio antiguo” – It’s an old building. It uses SER to indicate an essential characteristic. Another example: Es un coche rojo. (It’s a red car.)
7. “Está bien mantenido” – It’s well maintained. It uses ESTAR for a temporary condition. Another example: La calle está limpia. (The street is clean.)
8. “Eres muy listo” – You’re very clever. It uses SER for a personal quality. Another example: Son amables. (They’re kind.)

Now, let’s have a quick translation exercise. I’ll say a short sentence in English. Can you translate it using the correct form of SER or ESTAR. Ready? Let’s start:

1. The coffee is hot.
El café está caliente.
2. She’s a lawyer.
Es abogada.
3. We’re at the beach.
Estamos en la playa.
4. The movie is interesting.
La película es interesante.
5. They’re nervous.
Están nerviosos.

Well done! Remember, mastering SER and ESTAR takes practice. Here’s a tip: when in doubt, ask yourself if what you’re describing is an essential quality or a temporary condition. If it’s an essential quality, use SER, if it’s a temporary condition, use ESTAR.

Find out more about my Spanish courses.