what is the difference between ser and estar
ser and estar differences 
5 Answers
At the core of it all, the easiest way to remember the difference of when to use ser and estar is philosophical. It is unfortunate that we don't have this concept in English, as it is a beautiful and useful difference. Ser is used when you are describing the immutable part of you, the intransitory. Estar is for the things in life that come and go, like your location. Ser is your essence....estar comes and goes. On a personal note, this difference was driven home to me in an unexpected way....and it probably saved my life. Twelve years ago I was in a very serious accident and sustained a serious brain injury....to this day I continue to have seizures and physical and intellectual challanges from the accident. I had to learn to read again, to speak again, to balance, etc. My professional skill set was gone. The things that made me valuable, I thought, had died in the accident. But what I came to find out was that your "estar" can be taken from you in the blink of an eye, but that "ser" is ser. Who you love, what you believe, what your character is....that's all ser. And that realization, being able to separate the ser from the estar, made me realize that there was still value to my existance. Estar comes and goes with age, circumstance, etc. but ser is who your soul is, and cannot be changed by anyone except yourself or God. Hope this helps you in your Spanish studies, but hope that even more you learn to love the difference between these words.
There are used in many different ways. Ser is usually when speaking of inherent qualities/ things of permanence, whereas Estar is more about what is happening now, in the moment. There are many resources on this website that shed light on the issue. Check out some of the links below.
As much as I would love to just come out and tell you, doing your own research can help learn a lot better. I know that both words are in the dictionary here, and will offer you everything you need to know. Happy hunting!
You could write a book on the difference between ser and estar. Lots of good info on this site including Paralee's video. You might also try youtube if you would rather listen and see the explanation.
