What's the difference between the verb estar and ser?

Question

What's the difference between the verb estar and ser?

This is question #9, you still haven't read the guidelines? Great answers await you in both the search box and in the ref material! - LateToDinner, Aug 21, 2010

Answer 1

Hi imen, welcome to the forum .

Please look here and here for more information about the difference between ser and estar. Also, please do a search as this question has been asked and answered many times before and you will find some brilliant answers.

please, can you give me one of this brilliant answers because I don't know how to search in the answersand thank you so much - imen, Aug 21, 2010

click on the answers/respuesta tab. Below it on Right you will see a Search/Buscar box. Enter "Ser Estar". You will see some past discussions. - 0074b507, Aug 21, 2010

Answer 2

Everything about ser y estar

Please have a look, welcome to the forum

Answer 3

Here is a little jingle (to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle. Little Star"), that will help you if you are a beginner:

"Twinkle, twinle little estar, how you feel or where you are."

This is helpful for students in the early stages of discerning between "ser" and "estar".

Izanoni makes a great point about avoiding the "permanent/temporary" approach. It's one of the strategies used to teach the difference, but it is not helpful. Example: "Madrid está en España." .... Use the "Twinkle, twinkle little estar..." jingle and you immediately know that since Madrid is located in Spain, it has to use "está". On the other hand, "Es una joven rubia" ... Use the "Twinkle, twinkle, little estar..." jingle and you immediately know that you have to use a form of "ser" because this does not tell how she feels or where she is.

Once again, this jingle works for the entry stages of ser/estar. Once you get deeper into it, a couple of other strategies are very helpful. If you need those other strategies, send me a PM and I can lay them out for you.

I hope this has helped.

Answer 4

La puerta es alta. (The door is tall)---> It s someting permanent.

You might want to be careful about learning the use of ser and estar in this way (i.e. permanent vs. temporary). You will find that there are many pitfalls and exceptions to learning the difference in this manner. For example

Está muerte - He's dead [Is death not a permanent condition?]

Son las once y media - It's 11:30 [Is it going to be 11:30 forever?]

Soy escritor - I am a writer [Does that mean I can never change careers?]

Estoy casado - I am married [Does this mean that I am expected to get divorced?]

Está roto - It's broken [Does this means that no matter how smashed to bits something is, it is never permanently broken?]

Answer 5

Estoy aburida. (I am bored)--->This is happening now. Maybe after one hour, it will change.

Soy morena. (I am brunette)---->This is a permanent fact. I will always have dark skin and hair.

La puerta esta cerrada. (The door is closed)--->Maybe later someone will come and open it.

La puerta es alta. (The door is tall)---> It s someting permanent.

Answer 6

We have more than one Reference article on this if you care to look in the Reference section.

Ser vs Estar

All yours, Q. I looked at her other questions. - LateToDinner, Aug 21, 2010