When to use esta, es, or use both

Question

Es means "it is" and sometimes and so does esta but I just don't know when to use either at the correct time

Answer 1

Hola,

Welcome to the forums. The word "es" comes from the infinitive "ser", meaning "to be" when talking about something permanent. Soy cómico, El hombre es cristiano, Uds. son mis amigos. - I am funny, The man is Christian, You guys are my friends.

The word "está" comes from the infinitive "estar", meaning "to be" when talking about something temporary (location, feeling, and the Present Progressive). Estoy en mi dormitorio, Mi padre está muy triste, Ustedes están leyendo un libro. - I am in my bedroom, My dad is very sad, You guys are reading a book.

You may also see "andar" and "tener" meaning "to be", and those are only used in certain cases, so don't worry too much about it. Eventually, telling the different between "ser" and "estar" will be easy!

¡Buena suerte! -Alex