"Es versus Esta

Question

I'm having trouble understanding when to use es versus está in a sentence. For example, La cocina está a la derecha de la sala, and la cocina es a la derecha de la sala. They both mean the same thing when I translate the sentence.

Answer 1

Exactly, location requires "estar", and as a general statement, conditions which are mutable(changeable), also require estar. Those characteristics of a person or thing which are inmutable, (unchangeable), require ser. I am from Boston. Soy(ser), de Boston. A fact that is a unchangeable characteristic. I am sick(Estar) Today my condition is sick (Estoy enfermo,) it will likey change as it is temporary.

There are exceptions which may confuse you such as with the time. Time is transient, it changes but, the verb ser is used.

Está muerto. (He or she is dead), a permanent, unchangeable condition, but estar is used.

Look at the reference section. Learn the fundamental rules and the exceptions will be absorbed as you proceed with your learning.

Good Luck

Very good answer, that helped me too. - pmikan-pam, Apr 12, 2012

Answer 2

See the reference article on how to use ser vs. estar. Es comes from the verb ser while está comes from the verb estar. As a high intermediate/advanced student of Spanish I still definitely struggle with this, but in this case I am pretty sure that está is the correct choice because it is used when talking about where something is located.

Answer 3

Yes,

Look at http://www.spanishdict.com/topics/show/45 and http://www.spanishdict.com/topics/show/41

And yes, it´s a matter of location. Estar is always used for location (and a whole host of other things, and those articles will highlight)