ser

=

to be

verb

Learn more about the differences between ser and estar in the Answers section.

ser

intransitive verb

1. to be (en general)

fue aquí -> it was here
lo importante es decidirse -> the important thing is to reach a decision
ser de -> to be made of; (estar hecho de) to be from; (provenir de) to belong to; (ser propiedad de) to be a member of (formar parte de)
¿de dónde eres? -> where are you from?
los juguetes son de mi hijo -> the toys are my son's

2. to be (con precios, horas, números)

¿cuánto es? -> how much is it?
son 300 pesos -> that'll be 300 pesos
¿qué (día) es hoy? -> what day is it today?, what's today?
mañana será 15 de julio -> tomorrow (it) will be 15 July
¿qué hora es? -> what time is it?, what's the time?
son las tres (de la tarde) -> it's three o'clock (in the afternoon), it's three (pm)

3. (servir, ser adecuado)

ser para -> to be for
este trapo es para (limpiar) las ventanas -> this cloth is for (cleaning) the windows
este libro es para niños -> this book is (meant) for children

4. (uso partitivo)

ser de los que… -> to be one of those (people) who…
ése es de los que están en huelga -> he is one of those on strike

verb copulativo

5. to be (en general)

es alto/gracioso -> he is tall/funny
es azul/difícil -> it's blue/difficult
es un amigo/el dueño -> he is a friend/the owner

6. to be (empleo, dedicación)

soy abogado/actriz -> I'm a lawyer/an actress
son estudiantes -> they're students

verb impersonal

7. to be (expresa tiempo)

es muy tarde -> it's rather late
era de noche/de día -> it was night/day

8. (expresa necesidad, posibilidad)

es de desear que… -> it is to be hoped that…
es de suponer que aparecerá -> presumably, he'll turn up

9. (expresa motivo)

es que no vine porque estaba enfermo -> the reason I didn't come is that I was ill

10. (expresiones)

a no ser que -> unless
como sea -> one way or another, somehow or other
de no ser por -> had it not been for
érase una vez, érase que se era -> once upon a time
no es para menos -> not without reason
o sea -> that is (to say), I mean
por si fuera poco -> as if that wasn't enough
siendo que… -> seeing that o as…, given that… (Am)

verb auxiliary (para formar la voz pasiva)

11. to be

fue visto por un testigo -> he was seen by a witness

masculine noun

12. being (ente)

ser humano -> human being
los seres vivos -> living things

ser [serr]

verb neuter

1. To be: an auxiliary verb, by which the passive is formed. (n)

2. To be in some place or situation. (n)

3. To be or to exist really. (n)

4. To be, to happen, to occur, to fall out. (n)

¿Cómo fue eso -> how did that happen

5. To be worth. (n)

¿A cómo es eso -> what is the price of that

6. To be born in a place; to originate in (origen). (n)

¿De dónde es usted -> - Soy de Sevilla, where are you from

7. To affirm or deny. (n)

8. To be the property of one, to belong to, to pertain (posesión). (n)

9. To be useful, to serve, to contribute to anything. (n)

10. Joined to nouns which signify employment or occupation, it means to be occupied in them. (n)

Ya sea de este modo o de otro -> whether it be this way or the other
Sea lo que fuere -> be that as it may
En ser -> in being, in existence
Ser uno de tantos -> to be one of the number
Es quien es -> or se porta como quien es, he is what he ought to be, or he behaves as he should
Ser cómplice de -> to have a hand in
Ser para todo -> to be fit for everything; to be up to everything
¿Qué es del libro -> where is the book
Mañana será otro día -> tomorrow may bring better luck
Ser uña y carne -> to be hand and glove, to be close friends
Eso no es de la incumbencia de Vd -> that does not concern you; it is none of your business
Es difícil -> it's difficult
Ese coche no es para correr mucho -> that car isn't made to go very fast
Somos seis -> there are six of us
Fue construido -> it was built
Ser o no ser -> to be or not to be
Es de desear que -> it is to be wished that

- I am from Seville...Está siendo estudiado, it’s being examined.

noun

1. Being, the entity, essense, or nature of things; vague; point or burden of a piece. (m)

Verb Conjugation for "ser"

Infinitive: ser

Gerund: siendo

Participle: sido

	Presente	Pretérito	Imperfect	Futuro	Subjuntivo
Yo	soy	fui	era	seré	sea
Tú	eres	fuiste	eras	serás	seas
Ella/Él/Usted	es	fue	era	será	sea
Nosotros	somos	fuimos	éramos	seremos	seamos
Vosotros	sois	fuisteis	erais	seréis	seáis
Ellos/Ustedes	son	fueron	eran	serán	sean