Ser vs. Estar

SER Who or what the subjects is. Expresses a fundamental quality and serves to identify the essence of a person or thing: Who or what the subjects is. It describes the basic nature or inherent characteristics of a person or thing, including age. Ernesto es moreno y guapo. Estela es joven. It is used to identify professions and jobs. Yo soy profesora.

With de de it is used : –to indicate possession or relationship. Ellas son mis hermanas. Este es mi lápiz –To indicate origin and with adjectives denoting nationality. Soy de México. Soy mexicana. –It describes the material that things are made of. La mesa es de madera. It is used with expressions of time and with dates. Hoy es lunes trece de noviembre y son las once de la mañana.

It is used with events as the equivalent of “Taking place” La fiesta es en mi casa. It is used with the preposition para to tell for whom or for what something is intented. La fiesta es para mi madre. El libro es para la clase de historia.

ESTAR possibility of change. Estar has a more transitory quality than Ser and implies the possibility of change. It indicates place or location. Yo estoy en la sala de clase. It indicates a condition, often the result of an action, at a given moment in time. Margarita está muy cansada. With personal reactions, it describes what is perceived through the senses that is how a subject tastes, feels, looks or seems. ¡Estás muy bonita hoy!

With the present participle or gerundio (-ando, -iendo) to form the progressive form. Marcos está estudiando en la biblioteca.

Ser Origin and nationality professions events (taking place) possession or relationship material times and dates Characteristics.(size, color,shape) Estar location condition result of an action what is perceived through senses(How something feels, tastes,looks) in progressive forms