debe ser aquí

Question

Why did I hear "ser" rather than estar?

No idea. Give some context. - Daniela2041, May 23, 2016

Answer 1

"Debe ser aquí", is commonly used when you arrive to some place. Example: You are looking for the doctor office, and he told you that his office is blue. You arrive in a taxi, and see a blue house. You say "debe ser aquí". It must be here, I think that's the correct translation.

Answer 2

I must add." Debe ser aquí "is used as a guess (not sure if Its the right word. "Debe estar aquí" is used when you say that something must be in a specific place. Example: Mi laptop debe estar aquí, (My laptop must be here"

Answer 3

To put the answer by EleRo in grammatical perspective, remember there is a case where ser is used with locations:

http://spanish.about.com/od/usingparticularverbs/qt/ser_events.htm

Although the Spanish verb estar typically is used to describe where a person or thing is located, when speaking of events sermust be used. Both verbs typically can be translated as "to be." But if the verb can also be translated as "to take place" or "to be held," ser must be used.

This is not exactly that, but it has a similar "feel".

Remember that ser defines things, estar is conditions, and although locations are usually conditions (where something is normally is a condition), there are exceptions.

Debe ser aquí- gives a sense of this must be the place- the place must be this one. This also sounds like you are defining it, this must be the place that we are looking for.

Hopefully that adds a little help.