When do you use the verbs SER (verb To Be) and ESTAR (verb To Be) ? In what cases ?

Question

Can you give some examples ?

Answer 1

The verb "To BE" has two different verbs in Spanish : verb SER and verb ESTAR. And they are used in the following cases:

VERB “SER” is used for:

 

Description:   Es de oro. (It is gold).

Occupation:   Mi padre es un doctor. (My father is a doctor).

Characteristics or Inherent Traits:  Nosotras somos alegres./ Es fantástico./ Es importante.  (We are happy people)./ (It’s fantastic)./ (It’s important)

Time, Date and Place:    Son las cinco y media./ El concierto es en la escuela.

  (It’s five thirty)./ (The concert is at the school.)

Origin and Ownership:  El es de China./ El libro es de Maria.   (He is from China)./ (It’s Maria’s book.)

Relationship:  Ellos son mis padres. (They are my parents

VERB “ESTAR” is used for:

Position:     Yo estoy parado. (I am standing).

Location:      Tu estás en la oficina. (You are at the office).

Action and Progressive Tenses:     Ella está comiendo. (She is eating).

Condition:     Nosotras estamos enfermas. (We are sick).

Emotions. / Also Forms Idiomatic Expressions:     Ustedes están tristes. (You are all sad)

Conjugations of SER and ESTAR:

VERBS “SER” VERSUS “ESTAR”

 

Yo             soy                                   I am                                   estoy

Tu             eres                        you (informal) are                    estás

El,ella,Ud. es          he, she,it, you(formal) , is/are                está

Nosotros  somos                     we are                                     estamos

Vosotros  sóis               you (plural, informal) are                 estáis

Ellos,ellas,ustedes son     they are , you(plural) are               están

Answer 2

I agree with all the explanations and examples that have been offered so far.

A trick that works for me is to think if what is being said about a person, an animal, a place or a thing defines them or if it is just a circumstantial trait (similar to wondering if the description is something permanent or temporary).

However, these tricks do not always work. For example, time will always be introduced by SER (son las diez), even though time can be seen as something temporary. Similarly, location will always be introduced by ESTAR (el baño está al final del pasillo), even though that is a permanent location. There is only one exception to that rule: that is events. When speaking about event venues, you will use SER (la fiesta es en mi casa).

Answer 3

What the experts wrote above is all very true. But there is also an odd example:

El está muerto (He is dead)

Answer 4

The verb estar expresses being in a place or state, while ser expresses being something or someone. In other words, estar is only temporary; ser is permanent.

Estoy triste. – I am sad. 

You might be happy a few minutes later. Your sadness is only temporary. 

Carlos está en la escuela. – Carlos is at school. 

Carlos for sure will leave the school at some point during the day. His location at the school is only temporary. 

 

Example: 

Yo soy Carlos. – I am Carlos. 

That’s who he is. It won’t change with time. He will always be Carlos. Being Carlos is an essential part of him. It’s permanent. 

John es americano. – John is American.

John was born in the US, therefore he is an American. It’s permanent.