When to use the verb "Ser" and when to use "Estar"

[Tomisimo]

A quick comparison between Ser and Estar
Disclaimer: This is basically off the top of my head so some things could be missing. If you see something that should be here and it's not, please post it. In any case, it's a good start for learning when to use ser and when to use estar.

Ser is used for:

Professions - Soy carpintero - I'm a carpenter

Permanent conditions - La ciudad es muy sucia - The city is really dirty (A fact of life, unlikely to change)
Permanent characteristics - Soy bajita - I'm short; El martillo es pesado - The hammer is heavy
Definitive characteristics even if they're not permanent - El es nuevo aquí. - He's new around here.
Where someone is from - Soy de España - I'm from Spain
Telling time - Son las 3 de la tarde - It's 3 PM
Saying what the date is - Es el tres de octubre - It's October 3rd
Saying what day of the week it is - Es lunes - It's Monday
Nationalities - Ella es francesa - She's French
Possesion - La cámara es de Miguel - The camera is Michael's
What something is made of - La pared es de ladrillo - The wall is made of/from brick
Religion - Es católica - She's Catholic
Size & Length - El palo es largo - The stick is long; El bolígrafo es pequeño - the pen is small

Exceptions: La fila está larga - The line is long; El cuarto está grande - It's a good sized room


Colors (intrinsic) - Las rosas son rojas - Roses are red

Exceptions: La manzana está verde - The apple is green (unripe); Tus cachetes están rojos - Your cheeks are red


To specify one of several objects don't confuse this with the location criteria below - ¿Cuál es la casa de Juan? Es la casa de la esquina. - Which house is Juan's? It's the house on the corner.
Set phrases - Son bienvenidos aquí - You are welcome here


Estar is used for:

Changeable conditions - La calle está sucia - The street's really dirty (It just rained and there's mud everywhere, not a permanent condition)
Changeable characteristics - Está enojado - He's angry; Estamos emocionados - We're excited
Location/position of people/things Even if it's something permanent - Está en la recámara - It's in the bedroom; Londres está en Inglaterra - London is in England; La casa está en el campo - The house is in the country
Temporary state of something - La luz está prendida - The light is on; La puerta está abierta - The door's open
Used to form the "-ing" form of verbs - Estoy caminando - I'm walking


You can use either ser or estar for certain things, both are correct, but have different meanings:
There are many more examples of this. As I think of them, I'll try to add them.

Juan es aburrido - Juan is boring
Juan está aburrido - Juan is bored

María es nerviosa - Mary is a nervous person
María está nerviosa - Mary is nervous (right now, but not always)

El mango es bueno - Mangoes are good
El mango está bueno - This mango tastes good or The mango is good (as in not rotten or spoiled)

Es buena - She's a good person
Está buena - She's hot

Son invitados - They are guests
Están invitados - They are invited

Es borracho - He's a drunk(ard)
Está borracho - He's drunk

Es rubio - He's a blond
Su pelo está muy rubio - His hair is/looks really blond

[Zach]

This is a great tutorial, it cleared up alot of things for me. Thanks. ;D

[Nix]

Good one Tomisimo. It helped me a lot.

[Tomisimo]

Glad to help guys :)

[Iris]

David, you wrote carpinter, instead of carpenter. I know it's a typo, but...

[gatitoverde]

That's very helpful, David (says he whilst taking a screen shot).

[Tomisimo]

I fixed the typo and I'm glad it's useful :)

[cjones77]

It really helped me to see the sentences where ser and estar were switched.
Estar can be 'what is now', and, Ser can be 'what it is in itself', no?

-Chris

[Tomisimo]

Estar can be 'what is now', and, Ser can be 'what it is in itself', no?
I think that's a helpful way to think about it, yes. :)

[olivia vava]

También:

SER: Tener lugar (take place).
p.e ?Dónde será la boda de Alberto?

[brute]

Por favor. ¿Ser o estar con gerundios y participales de pasado? ¿Hay normas faciles?

Soy ....estoy casado Esta muerte ...... ¿Permanente o no?

[Tomisimo]

Por favor. ¿Ser o estar con gerundios y participales de pasado? ¿Hay normas faciles?

Soy ....estoy casado Esta muerte ...... ¿Permanente o no?
Both soy casado and estoy casado are correct. There is a slight nuance in the meaning though:

Estoy casado = I am married.
Soy casado = I am a married man.

Estoy refers to your state of being married, and soy to your quality of being married.

[laughingwithfee]

My teacher gave us a formula that really helps:

When using estar, use x versus x, meaning you're comparing (insert whatever it is you're talking about) to itself.

When using ser, use x versus y, meaning you're comparing (insert whatever it is you're talking about) to a set of other things.

Example: Let's say we're talking about Paco. If I want to say that Paco is happy today, I would use estar, because Paco is happy compared to his usual emotional state. I would say, "Paco está feliz."

If I want to say that Paco is a happy person, I would use ser, because Paco is a happy person compared to everyone else. I would say, "Paco es feliz."

I hope this helped.

[bobjenkins]

My teacher gave us a formula that really helps:

When using estar, use x versus x, meaning you're comparing (insert whatever it is you're talking about) to itself.

When using ser, use x versus y, meaning you're comparing (insert whatever it is you're talking about) to a set of other things.

Example: Let's say we're talking about Paco. If I want to say that Paco is happy today, I would use estar, because Paco is happy compared to his usual emotional state. I would say, "Paco está feliz."

If I want to say that Paco is a happy person, I would use ser, because Paco is a happy person compared to everyone else. I would say, "Paco es feliz."

I hope this helped.
Gracias por la manera nueva:)

[laughingwithfee]

Gracias por la manera nueva:)

De nada. Estoy encantada de poder ayudarte.

[ROBINDESBOIS]

VEry good Tomisimo

[laepelba]

Por favor. ¿Ser o estar con gerundios y participales de pasado? ¿Hay normas faciles?

Soy ....estoy casado Esta muerte ...... ¿Permanente o no?

Both soy casado and estoy casado are correct. There is a slight nuance in the meaning though:

Estoy casado = I am married.
Soy casado = I am a married man.

Estoy refers to your state of being married, and soy to your quality of being married.

David - first of all, I like this thread ... I struggle with ser & estar ... and this helps.

Second, I appreciate your answer to his question about "soy/estoy casado". But what about his question about "esta muerte"? Would it ever be "está" with muerte? Or would it always be "es"? I mean, how can one be temporarily dead?

[irmamar]

It is not "está muerte" (muerte means death), but "está muerto" (dead).

I'll never say "soy casada", but "estoy casada", not in modern Spanish Spain, at least.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

@Lou Ann: David is right about "ser/estar casado". In Mexico is equally frequent to say one or the other.

--¿Ya conociste al nuevo gerente? (Have you met the new manager?)
--Sí, ¿sabes si es casado? / ¿crees que esté casado? (Yes, do you know/believe he's married?)


As for "estar muerto", "estar" is the right choice most of the times.
"Ser muerto" would mean some kind of zombie or so.

El médico no pudo hacer nada por Juan. Está muerto.
The doctor couldn't do anything for Juan. He's dead.


Someone joking in a graveyard:
¡Soy un muerto que sale de su tumba! ¡BU!
I'm a deadman coming out of his grave! BOO!

[irmamar]

Well, not in Spain. La gente está casada, no es casada. Yo he oído "es casado" a gente muy mayor, quizá era antes, cuando no existía el divorcio. Ahora la gente está casada, soltera, divorciada, separada o viuda. Pero está, no es. Digo en mi país. :) . De hecho, a esto se denomina "estado civil".