Ser and estar: nuance, results and set phrases
Go beyond the basics: events, results of actions, estar de and estar para, impressions, dates and set phrases.
Part of the free B2 Spanish course. Press the speaker next to an example to hear it.
You know the core contrast (Ser or estar: the core contrast) and the adjectives that change meaning (Adjectives that change meaning with ser and estar). At B2 the difficulties are subtler: passive or result, where events take place, temporary roles, and many fixed expressions.
Ser + participle: the action. Estar + participle: the result
Ser + participle is the passive: it describes the action being done (The passive: ser + participle and the passive se). Estar + participle describes the state that results from it.
- El museo fue inaugurado por la reina en 1992.The museum was opened by the queen in 1992.
- Cuando llegamos, la tienda ya estaba cerrada.When we arrived, the shop was already closed.
La puerta fue cerrada a las diez (someone closed it at ten). La puerta estaba cerrada (it was shut, whoever did it).
Events take ser
The location of objects and people takes estar, but the place or time of an event (a meeting, a concert, a wedding, an exam) takes ser, because ser here means "take place".
- La conferencia es en el salón de actos.The talk is in the assembly hall.
Estar de: a temporary role or situation
Estar de + noun describes a temporary job or situation: estar de vacaciones, de viaje, de baja (on sick leave), de buen humor, de moda, de camarero.
- Mi primo está de camarero en Ibiza este verano.My cousin is working as a waiter in Ibiza this summer.
For a profession, use ser: Mi primo es camarero.
Estar para and estar por
- estar para + infinitive or noun = be in the mood for, or be about to: No estoy para bromas. El tren está para salir.
- estar por + infinitive = still to be done: La casa está por limpiar. Está por ver.
- Hoy no estoy para bromas.I'm not in the mood for jokes today.
- Todavía está por ver si el plan funciona.It remains to be seen whether the plan works.
Estar for impressions and changes
Ser describes what someone is like; estar with the same adjective describes how they look or seem now, often a change, a surprise or a compliment.
- ¡Qué guapa estás con el pelo corto!You look lovely with short hair!
More adjectives that change meaning
| Adjective | with ser | with estar |
|---|---|---|
| despierto | sharp, quick | awake |
| atento | considerate | paying attention |
| delicado | delicate, fragile | in poor health |
| molesto | annoying | upset, bothered |
| verde | green | unripe, inexperienced |
| rico | rich | delicious |
- Este niño es muy despierto para su edad.This boy is very sharp for his age.
- Es una persona muy atenta con sus pacientes.She's very considerate with her patients.
- Mi abuelo está muy delicado de salud.My grandfather's health is very fragile.
Dates, temperatures and set phrases
Estar a gives the date, the temperature or a price that changes: Estamos a cinco de mayo. Estamos a treinta grados.
- Estamos a cinco de mayo y todavía hace frío.It's the fifth of May and it's still cold.
Set phrases to learn whole: es de esperar que (+ subjunctive), está claro que, es que… (the thing is…), está visto que (it's obvious that), ser el colmo (be the last straw), estar al día (be up to date).
- Es de esperar que bajen los precios.Prices can be expected to fall.
Common mistakes
La reunión está en la sala tres: a meeting is an event, so La reunión es en la sala tres.La ventana fue rota cuando llegué: for the state you found, use estaba rota.Soy de vacaciones: temporary situations take estar de: Estoy de vacaciones.Es muerto: death is permanent, but Spanish treats it as a resulting state: Está muerto.Estoy camarero: either Soy camarero (profession) or Estoy de camarero (temporary job).
Latin America
The rules are shared. In many Latin American countries estar is used a little more widely for impressions, often with bien as an intensifier (¡Está bien rico!), and estar de jobs are common too: Está de mesera (Mexico and Central America; Spain: camarera).
Practice
- El concierto _____ en el estadio municipal.Options: es · está · son · esté
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es — A concert is an event, and events 'take place': ser.
- Cuando llegó la policía, la caja fuerte ya _____ abierta.Options: estaba · era · fue · estuvo
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estaba — The state the police found: estar + participle in the imperfect.
- El puente _____ (ser, preterite) construido en el siglo XIX.
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fue — Passive with ser: the action of building.
- Mi hermana _____ de baja porque se rompió una pierna.Options: está · es · hay · va
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está — Estar de baja: a temporary situation.