Spanish Prep

Ser y Estar (to be)

The verbs ser and estar are both irregular verbs and both have the same meaning: to be. So how do we know whether to use ser or estar?



There are certain words that we use with either ser or estar, and their meanings are very different. Examples:




Since ser and estar are both irregular verbs, their conjugations in the various tenses must be memorized. Here are some tables with the various tenses:

Present (Indicative)

Preterite (Indicative)

This tense is used to talk about past actions/events.

Future (Indicative)

This tense is used to talk about actions/events that will happen in the future. There are two ways to do this: we can talk about things that will happen sometime in the future or things that will happen in the immediate future.

Imperfect (Indicative)

We already learned that we use the imperfect (indicative) tense to describe past habitual actions, such as things one used to or would do, and that we also use this tense to talk about what someone was doing when something else happened: the action that was in progress is in the imperfect, and the something else that happened is in the preterite. This is true for regular or irregular verbs, and that includes the verb estar. For example:
1) Juan estaba en el comedor cuando empezó a temblar. (Juan was in the dining room when the earthquake started).
2) Juan estaba sacudiendo los muebles cuando sonó el teléfono. (Juan was dusting the furniture when the phone rang)
3) Juan siempre estaba dispuesto a ayudar. (Juan was always willing to help OR Juan used to always be willing to help).

The verb ser in the imperfect (indicative) is used to talk about what a person, or people, used to be. For example:
1) Mi hermano era muy flojo. (My brother used to be very lazy. Note that it could also be translated as "My brother was very lazy").
2) Yo era muy floja pero un día decidí cambiar. (I used to be very lazy, but one day I decided to change.

Conditional (Indicative)

The conditional tense is used to talk about what someone would do under certain circumstances. With the verb ser, the conditional is used to talk about what someone would be under certain circumstances. Please note that even though the conditional in Spanish is generally translated into the English "would," the English "would" is not always translated into the Spanish conditional tense: if you are talking about an activity that was a repeated past event (ie, something you "used to do," then the Spanish imperfect is used). Examples:
1) Juan sería amable si no gritaras tanto. (Juan would be nice if you didn't yell so much)
2) Juan estaría limpiando la casa si no hubiera nada que hacer. (Juan would be cleaning the house if there was nothing else to do).

Conditional Perfect

The conditional perfect tense is used to describe an action in the past that would have happened but did not due to some other event. Examples:
1) Ana habría sido una buena maestra pero decidió estudiar Leyes para poder ser abogada. (Ana would have been a good teacher, but she decided to study Law in order to be a lawyer)
2) Miguel y Ana habrían estado juntos toda la vida pero Ana decidió divorciarse. (Miguel and Ana would have been together all their lives, but Ana decided to file for divorce)

Present Perfect

We use the present perfect to talk about things that have happened recently OR about things that started in the past and that continue in the present. Examples:
1) Siempre has sido muy generoso. (You have always been very generous)
2) He estado enferma toda la semana. (I have been sick all week)
3) Ana ha estado muy cansada últimamente. (Ana has been very tired lately)

Preterite Perfect

The preterite perfect tense is used to describe an action in the past that happened just before another action in the past. This tense is used mostly in literature, and it is not commonly used in spoken modern Spanish. We do not really speak using this tense, but it may be a tense you need to memorize, and you may find it when reading literature.

Future Perfect

The future perfect is used to talk about an action that will have been completed at some point in the future. With the verb ser, we use this tense to talk about what someone will be in the future. The verb estar in this tense is also used to talk about something that may have been. Examples:
1) En enero habré sido maestra por un mes. (In january, I will have been a teacher for one month).
2) Habré estado equivocada. (I may have been wrong)
3) El lunes Ana habrá estado en México por dos meses. (On Monday Ana will have been in Mexico for a month)

Pluperfect (Past Perfect)

The pluperfect tense is used to talk about a past action that happened prior to another action in the past. Pluperfect is also called the past perfect. Note that this is different from the preterite perfect tense discussed above. One way to think about these two tenses: the preterite perfect is mostly used in literature, whereas the pluperfect (past perfect) is what people commonly use in modern Spanish. Examples:
1) Había sido muy feliz hasta que me divorcié. (I had been very happy until I got divorced)
2) Habíamos estado limpiando cuamdo llegó mi mamá. (We had been cleaning when my mom arrived)

Present Subjunctive

We use the present subjunctive when we talk talk about the unknown, or about situations of uncertainty, doubt, emotion, hope, necessity, or desire. The word que usually follows right after the verb that indicates the uncertainty, need, desire, etc. Examples:
1) Espero que seas un buen ejemplo para tus hijos. (I hope you are a good example for your children)
2) Quiero que estemos listos a las 7pm. (I want us to be ready at 7pm)

Past (or Imperfect) Subjunctive

The past subjunctive, also known as the imperfect subjunctive, often refers to a previous experience, and it is also used to refer to possibilities or unlikely events. Examples:
1) Si you fuera presidente, ayudaría la gente pobre. (If I were president, I would help poor people)
2) Si estuvieras aquí, podrías ayudarme. (If you were here, you could help me)
3) Te pedí que fueras a la tienda. (I asked you to go to the store)

Future Subjunctive

The future subjunctive tense is becoming obsolete. You are unlikely to hear people use it, but you may still find this tense in literature or legal documents, so it may be a good idea for you to be able to recognize it. These days, the present subjunctive tends to be used where the future subjunctive would have been used.

Present Perfect Subjunctive

We use the present perfect subjunctive when we talk about past actions that are relevant to the present. Examples:
1) Espero que hayas sido discreto. (I hope you were discreet)
2) El hecho de que yo haya estado en China, no significa que pueda hablar Cantonés. (The fact that I was in China, doesn't mean that I can speak Cantonese)

Past Perfect Subjunctive (Pluperfect Subjunctive)

We use the past perfect subjunctive, also known as the pluperfect subjunctive, when we talk about a past situation that is also hypothetical; we also use this tense when we talk about past actions that preceded other past actions and when we talk about past conditionals. Examples:
1) Todo hubiera sido mas fácil si me hubieras dicho la verdad. (Everything would have been easier if you had told me the truth)
2) Si en realidad hubieras estado enfermo, no habrías ido al cine. (If you had really been sick, you wouldn't have gone to the movies)

Future Perfect Subjunctive

The future perfect subjunctive is not commonly used in modern day Spanish, but you may see it in literature or legal documents. It is used to indicate actions that will have happened in the future at a certain point. These days, the future perfect subjunctive is replaced by either the past perfect subjunctive or the present perfect subjunctive.

Imperative (Commands) - Affirmative

This tense is used to give commands, to tell someone to do/be something. Examples:
1) Seamos amables con la gente. (Let's be nice to people)
2) Esté listo a las 5 pm. (Be ready at 5pm - note that you are addressing someone in the "usted" mode)

Imperative (Commands) - Negative

This tense is used to give negative commands, ie, to tell someone not to do/be something. Examples:
1) No seas tan caprichosa. (Don't be so capricious)
2) No estén hablando de política. (Don't be talking about politics)