The difference between ser and estar

Question

What determines when to use ser and estar in a sentence?

Answer 1

Hello, have you already checked this article in the Reference section.

it´s a good start!

Answer 2

They say that :

ser is permanent. Let's check it:

La gasolina es muy barata aquí (not permanent: they'll double the price in an hour)

Soy feliz cuando estás conmigo. (not permanent)

Soy soltero, pero mañana me caso. (not permanent)

Soy americano, pero mañana me cambio de nacionalidad. (not permanent)

Mi hijo es muy pequeño (not permanent: he'll grow)

Esa chica es aún virgen (really permanent? Forever?)

estar is temporary. Let's check:

Los Ángeles está en California (permanent)

El jarrón está roto (permanent)

Mi abuelo está muerto (permanent)

Está bien diseñado (permanent)

Estoy acostumbrado al calor (permanent)

Great rule!!! It doesn't work, but it is great nonetheless.

Great examples, thank you. - Stadt, Jan 28, 2011

Some of your examples are of the same type. An example? You have used estar + a past participle multiple times. I could say "estoy trabajando", estoy saltando, etc. and could match your 1 pennies rather easily. - Beatrice-Codder, Jan 28, 2011

Answer 3

Basically, "ser" is something that is a permanent conditon. For example, soy de los Estados Unidos y estoy contenta con este.

"Estar" is for temporary things, like how you feel. Generally things like the country you come from, your hair color, your gender, etc would be things you would use "ser" for.

I hope that helps!

I'll give you 4 cents every time your rule works if you give me one every time it fails. I bet you anything I'll win the bet. - lazarus1907, Jan 28, 2011

When I started to learn spanish, this was the best way of making sense of it. I learned how it varied as I progressed. Not everyone is a genius. - Beatrice-Codder, Jan 28, 2011

I don't think lazarus' rule is at all difficult, and it works, so you do not have to unlearn anything later - Stadt, Jan 28, 2011

Answer 4

ser versus estar by lazarus

Cut and pasted directly from the above link at this site. Please listen to lazarus:

OTHER: MISTAKES TO AVOID

Definitions and classifications are generally regarded as timeless and not restricted to any particular place. We don't say 'Water is a liquid... here and on Mondays only'. States and situations, on the other hand, are normally associated with places and moments.

For this reason, some books and pages say that SER is for permanent things, and ESTAR is for temporary things. Although this can relatively often be true, it is not advisable to use this pseudo-rule, because it is not a real rule, and it leads to constant confusions and contradictions. For example, the location of a place or an object can be either permanent (i.e. a building) or temporary (i.e. a book).

Mi abuelo está muerto ? My grandpa is dead (not exactly a temporary situation: he is not going to resucitate) Nueva York está en los EE. UU. ? New York is in USA (A perfectly permanent situation)

Notice how the CID rule (identification/definition/classification) works in all the examples above.

The temporary/permanent fake rule leads to mistakes like these (both corrected):

Soy un estudiante ? I am a student (this is temporary: I graduate next week) Jorge es menor de eadad ? Jorge is underage (this is temporary: his 18th birthday is tomorrow)

Being a student and underage are regarded as classifications, because no moment or place is taken into account to make such statements, but they way we perceive them in our society (yes, this is subjective, of course). Particularly, 'un estudiante? is a noun, and nouns cannot go with ESTAR, since they are used to identify and classify things and people.

Do not use the temporary / permanent rule!

Answer 5

Para Lazarus:

La condición de permanencia no la dicta el SER o ESTAR sino la situación que está siendo expresada con el verbo. Revisemos tus ejemplos:

La gasolina es muy barata aquí ---> This is an opinion and it won't change what was stated at that given point as a permanent statement. She may even be wrong about the actual price of gas, but that does not prevent her from stating her opinion as a permanent fact at the time.

You can also say La gasolina está muy barata acá (with respect to the other gas stations or previous purchases at the same place). So the choice between SER an ESTAR is indeed a vehicle to express a permanent or temporary condition.

Soy feliz cuando estás conmigo. ---> Same as the gasoline example. And you also say Estoy feliz cuando estás conmigo.

Soy soltero, pero mañana me caso. (not permanent)... Soltero admits both verb forms. Soy soltero when I am saying it is a true statement that requires SER (regardless of what the future holds). But "estoy soltero porque quiero" means the possibility of getting married does exist.

Soy americano, pero mañana me cambio de nacionalidad. (not permanent). When you said it you were American. Mañana serás francés, chino, italiano.

Mi hijo es muy pequeño (not permanent: he'll grow)...Both forms are allowed but mean different things. Mi hijo es muy pequeño pero crecerá. Mi hijo está muy pequeño para dejarlo solo.

Esa chica es aún virgen ... As long as she is a virgin you need to say SER. When her status changes será otra cosa...

Answer 6

Some uses:

Soy casado. Ella es alemana. Juan es ingeniero.

Theese charachteristics are more or less permanent, although I could get divorced or she could get another nationality.

But:

Estoy triste. Estoy trabajando. Estoy bien (in this moment)

Theese characteristics are temporary. Tomorrow, or in a couple of minuts, I could be happy, or bad. And I can stop workin right now.

Answer 7

Please have a look at this compilation.

Answer 8

Ser is who you are.

Estar is how you are different from that.

It works for things other than yourself the same way.