Spanish grammar
Ser vs estar
Choose ser or estar: what someone is like vs how they feel now.
From the scene Ser o estar (Ser or estar)
In short
Use ser for what someone is like, estar for how they feel right now.
Your turn
Which one goes with how someone feels now?
Options: estar: está nervioso, está contento · ser: es simpático, es joven · está enfadado ≠ es antipático
Show answer
how someone feels now → estar: está nervioso, está contento
How it works
Ser says what someone is like — looks and character: es simpático, es joven.
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
Sí, es simpático... pero ahora (blank) nervioso.
Clue: how he feels right now
Options: está · es
Show answer
Sí, es simpático... pero ahora está nervioso.
Yes, he's nice... but right now he's nervous.
Good to know
Estar says how someone feels right now: está nervioso, está contento.
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
Uf. Don Ramón (blank) enfadado.
Options: está · es
Show answer
Uf. Don Ramón está enfadado.
Ugh. Don Ramón is angry.
Good to know
So Don Ramón can be happy right now (está contento) and still be an unfriendly person (es antipático).
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
...pero (blank) antipático.
Clue: what he is like as a person
Options: está · es
Show answer
...pero es antipático.
...but he's unfriendly.
what someone is like ser: es simpático, es joven
how someone feels now estar: está nervioso, está contento
Elena
No, cariño. Ahora está contento.
No, dear. Right now he's happy.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
No, cariño. Ahora (blank).
Options: es joven · está enfadado ≠ es antipático · está contento
Show answer
Elena
No, cariño. Ahora está contento.
No, dear. Right now he's happy.
angry now ≠ unfriendly always está enfadado ≠ es antipático
Common mistake
Not está here. What he is like as a person.
Tomás es muy simpático.
Tomás is very nice.
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| what someone is like | ser: es simpático, es joven |
|---|---|
| how someone feels now | estar: está nervioso, está contento |
| angry now ≠ unfriendly always | está enfadado ≠ es antipático |
More lines from the story
- NuriaTomás es muy simpático.Tomás is very nice.
- ElenaSí, es simpático... pero ahora está nervioso.Yes, he's nice... but right now he's nervous.
- Nuria¿Nervioso? Ah, sí... y está cansado.Nervous? Oh, yes... and he's tired.
- NuriaUf. Don Ramón está enfadado.Ugh. Don Ramón is angry.
- Elena...pero es antipático....but he's unfriendly.