Ser or Estar? Ser and Estar both mean ‘to be’. So when do we use which one? Meet Scoot P and Ethel P – they’re cousins, and they are going to help us decide.

SER – typically for descriptions and things that are more permanent. Use the acronym SCOOT P to determine if you should use SER.

S er The S stands for Ser, so you always know which verb you are working with.

C haracteristic tall, short, pretty, tasty, smart, funny, made of wood/glass/plastic

O rigin Hi, I’m from Houston. I am American.

O ccupation I am a doctor. They are students.

T ime It is 6:30. The party is at 7.

P ossession This is my house. Those are your books. He is our brother.

Key Term: De De, meaning ‘of’ or ‘from’, is used for origin, characteristics and possession.

ESTAR – typically for things that change easily, less permanent Use the acronym ETHEL P to determine if you should use ESTAR.

E star The E stands for estar, so you don’t get them confused.

T emporary Condition The potatoes are cold. I am tired.

H ealth He is sick. I am well.

E motion I am happy. Y’all are sad.

L ocation I am in the classroom. The building is on Main Street.

P rogressives These are the –ing verbs – we’ll get to them later!

Key words – En, encima de, al lado de, etc. These key words show location, which is always ESTAR