Being a Spanish Verb
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Estar is one of two Spanish verbs that mean "to be."* Estar is used to describe the current state of a noun – temporary, changeable attributes like
- feelings and emotions
- location**
- physical condition
- prices / currencies
- relationship status
- temporary jobs
Por ejemplo …
| ¿Cómo estáis? | How are you? | |
| ¡Está contento hoy! | He’s happy today! | |
| Estoy en Marruecos. | I’m in Morocco. | |
| San José está en Costa Rica.** | San José is in Costa Rica. | |
| ¿Estás enfrente de la casa? | Are you in front of the house? | |
| Estámos enfermos. | We’re sick. |
Estar conjugations
| yo | estoy | nosotros | estamos | |
| tú | estás | vosotros | estáis | |
| él, ella, Ud. | está | ellos, Ud. | están |
Estar Conjugations Quiz
Think you’ve got it? Test yourself:
* The other is ser. But also note that there are a number of idiomatic expressions in which the verb tener means "to be".
** In this example, estar is used even though the location of San José will never change. For locations, whether temporary or permanent, estar is always the verb to use.
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