When to use "sido" v. "estado"

Question

I am looking for some rules and examples of when to use sido v. estado in a sentence. It seems to me that most of the time estado is the past participle of choice. For example: He estado pensando. ( I have been thinking) expresses some kind of action so estado seems right. Ha sido doctor por veinte años. Sido seems right in this case since this decribes a permanent condition?

I am pretty clear on the use of ser and estar in the present tense but unsure of the past tenses. Perhaps some examples will clear things

Good question. - danrivera, May 17, 2010

Answer 1

You've got it -- it's the difference between "ser" and "estar."

For example,

"Ha sido un buen día." (It's been a good day)

"Habia estado comiendo." (I had been eating)

"No he estado en Nueva York." (I've never been to N.Y.)

Hi Marianne - please see my post below. - caza, May 17, 2010

Answer 2

This was going to be one of my questions so I am very interested in the answers. Looking at Marianne´s example

No he estado en Nueva York.

I have used he estado to say where I have been, for example Esta mañana he estado al gymnasio, wanting to say - This morning I have been to the gym. This has always been corrected in class written or orally to he ido which to me seems to say I have gone. I don´t want to say I have gone but I have been. Any ideas or is this the Spanish way of expressing something that happened recently?

Answer 3

Sorry, It's already been answered well, so I'm deleting my post.