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Welcome! Today we will learn how to choose between the two Spanish verbs for 'to be'.
In English, we use the word 'is' or 'are' for everything. In Spanish, we have two different verbs: 'ser' (to be) and 'estar' (to be). We use them in different situations.
Use 'ser' (pronounced 'SAIR') for permanent things like who you are or where you are from. A great trick is the acronym DOCTOR: Description, Occupation, Characteristics, Time, Origin, and Relationship.
Use 'estar' (pronounced 'ehs-TAR') for temporary things like feelings or locations. A great trick is the acronym PLACE: Position, Location, Action, Condition, and Emotion.
Let us compare! Saying 'soy aburrido' (I am boring) uses ser because it is a personality trait. Saying 'estoy aburrido' (I am bored) uses estar because it is a temporary feeling.
How do you say "She is in the school" in Spanish?
- Identify the English verb we need to translate: "is" (to be).
- Look at the context of the sentence: "in the school" is a location.
- Recall our rule: We use 'estar' for locations (PLACE acronym).
- Find the correct form of 'estar' for "she" (ella). The correct form is 'está'.
- Combine the words: "Ella está en la escuela" (She is in the school).
