Ser vs estar: the short version
Both verbs mean “to be.” Ser says what or who something is. Estar says where something is or how it is right now. That covers most sentences. The tricky part is the handful of exceptions below, and the drill is built to hit them over and over.
Use ser for…
- Identity and profession: Mi madre es abogada.
- Origin and nationality: Somos de Colombia.
- Time, days and dates: Son las tres. Hoy es martes.
- Material and possession: La mesa es de madera. El libro es de Ana.
- Relationships: Ellos son mis mejores amigos.
- Where and when an event happens: La fiesta es en mi casa.
Use estar for…
- Location of people and things: Madrid está en España.
- Feelings and conditions: Estoy cansado hoy.
- Results of a change: La ventana está rota.
- Actions in progress: Están comiendo ahora.
- Death: El pez está muerto.
- Set phrases: estar de vacaciones, estar de acuerdo
The traps that catch learners
Events use ser, even though they sound like locations. A person or object is somewhere with estar (El libro está en la mesa), but an event takes place somewhere, so it uses ser (La boda es en la playa).
Death uses estar. “Permanent vs. temporary” would suggest ser, which is why that rule of thumb breaks down. Think of muerto as a condition that something is in: está muerto.
Some adjectives change meaning. The verb decides which meaning you get:
| Adjective | With ser | With estar |
|---|---|---|
| listo | clever | ready |
| aburrido | boring | bored |
| rico | rich | tasty |
| malo | bad (in character) | sick, or gone bad |
| verde | green (the color) | unripe |
Present-tense forms
| Subject | ser | estar |
|---|---|---|
| yo | soy | estoy |
| tú | eres | estás |
| él / ella / usted | es | está |
| nosotros / nosotras | somos | estamos |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | son | están |
How to get faster
Take one round a day and read every rule in your miss list before you play again. Most learners keep missing the same two or three patterns, usually events and estar with feelings. Once those stop showing up, your score climbs quickly. Typing mode is harder than tapping because you also have to spell the form, so switch to it once tapping feels easy.