[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"verticals":3,"article-spanish-a1-ser-vs-estar":32,"related-spanish-a1-ser-vs-estar":248},[4,20],{"id":5,"slug":6,"name":7,"tagline":8,"description":9,"accentFrom":10,"accentTo":11,"icon":12,"defaultLocale":13,"locales":14,"features":16,"position":19},"019fe637-3d33-714b-b57f-23e163ffca0c","dev","Web Development","Build. Learn. Ship.","Practical courses, engineering-grade articles and open-source tools for people who ship.","violet-500","cyan-400","◇","en",[13,15],"fa",{"courses":17,"paths":17,"articles":17,"exams":18,"flashcards":18,"packages":17,"community":17,"certificates":17,"teams":17,"commerce":17},true,false,0,{"id":21,"slug":22,"name":23,"tagline":24,"description":25,"accentFrom":26,"accentTo":10,"icon":27,"defaultLocale":13,"locales":28,"features":30,"position":31},"019fe637-3dc2-754c-8657-0f175bfee7c6","lang","Languages","Learn a language the way you learn a codebase.","Structured paths, listening drills and spaced repetition that actually sticks.","amber-400","⌘",[13,15,29],"es",{"courses":18,"paths":18,"articles":17,"exams":18,"flashcards":17,"packages":18,"community":17,"certificates":17,"teams":18,"commerce":18},2,{"id":33,"slug":34,"title":35,"subtitle":36,"excerpt":37,"coverUrl":36,"locale":13,"readingMinutes":38,"publishedAt":39,"viewCount":40,"likeCount":19,"commentCount":19,"author":41,"vertical":46,"topic":47,"tags":50,"_count":64,"playground":66,"body":67,"bodyMd":231,"seo":232,"translationGroupId":235,"thread":236,"assessments":238,"translations":244,"quiz":246},"019ff280-9d75-715b-b7db-27dd9deec26a","spanish-a1-ser-vs-estar","Spanish A1: ser vs estar — two verbs for 'to be', and the line between them",null,"Spanish splits 'to be' into ser and estar. The usual advice — permanent versus temporary — breaks immediately. Here is the line that actually holds.",3,"2026-08-10T07:00:00.000Z",61,{"id":42,"name":43,"username":44,"avatarUrl":36,"headline":45},"019fe637-3c25-7088-9034-39c9f15dc3c8","Parsa Jiravand","parsa","Frontend engineer · building bestpractic",{"slug":22,"name":23,"accentFrom":26,"accentTo":10},{"slug":48,"name":49},"spanish","Spanish",[51,52,55,58,61],{"slug":48,"name":49,"color":36},{"slug":53,"name":54,"color":36},"a1","A1",{"slug":56,"name":57,"color":36},"es-a1","Es-a1",{"slug":59,"name":60,"color":36},"grammar","Grammar",{"slug":62,"name":63,"color":36},"verbs","Verbs",{"assessments":65},1,{"slug":34,"title":35},{"blocks":68,"version":65},[69,73,77,80,84,87,90,112,115,145,148,152,160,163,167,174,177,180,211,214,217,220,223,228],{"id":70,"html":71,"type":72},"b1","\u003Cp>English has one verb for \u003Cem>to be\u003C\u002Fem>. Spanish has two, and choosing wrongly changes what you said.\u003C\u002Fp>","paragraph",{"id":74,"html":75,"type":76},"b2","\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Es\u003C\u002Fstrong> aburrido. → He is boring.\n\u003Cstrong>Está\u003C\u002Fstrong> aburrido. → He is bored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n","quote",{"id":78,"html":79,"type":72},"b3","\u003Cp>You will be told \u003Cem>ser is permanent, estar is temporary\u003C\u002Fem>. Drop that now: \u003Cstrong>Está muerto\u003C\u002Fstrong> (he is dead) is estar, and nothing is more permanent.\u003C\u002Fp>",{"id":81,"html":82,"text":82,"type":83,"level":31},"b4","The line that holds","heading",{"id":85,"html":86,"type":72},"b5","\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Ccode>ser\u003C\u002Fcode> says what something is. \u003Ccode>estar\u003C\u002Fcode> says how or where it is.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>",{"id":88,"html":89,"type":72},"b6","\u003Cp>Identity and definition on one side; condition and location on the other.\u003C\u002Fp>",{"id":91,"head":92,"rows":95,"type":111},"b7",[93,94],"\u003Ccode>ser\u003C\u002Fcode> — what it is","\u003Ccode>estar\u003C\u002Fcode> — how\u002Fwhere it is",[96,99,102,105,108],[97,98],"Soy profesor. (I'm a teacher)","Estoy cansado. (I'm tired)",[100,101],"Es de Madrid. (He's from Madrid)","Está en Madrid. (He's in Madrid)",[103,104],"Somos cuatro. (There are four of us)","Estamos listos. (We're ready)",[106,107],"La mesa es de madera. (It's wooden)","La mesa está sucia. (It's dirty)",[109,110],"Son las tres. (It's three o'clock)","Está lloviendo. (It's raining)","table",{"id":113,"html":114,"text":114,"type":83,"level":31},"b8","The forms",{"id":116,"head":117,"rows":121,"type":111},"b9",[118,119,120],"","ser","estar",[122,126,130,133,137,141],[123,124,125],"yo","soy","estoy",[127,128,129],"tú","eres","estás",[131,29,132],"él \u002F ella \u002F usted","está",[134,135,136],"nosotros","somos","estamos",[138,139,140],"vosotros","sois","estáis",[142,143,144],"ellos \u002F ustedes","son","están",{"id":146,"html":147,"type":72},"b10","\u003Cp>Both are irregular; both are worth memorising today, because you cannot build a sentence without one of them.\u003C\u002Fp>",{"id":149,"html":150,"text":151,"type":83,"level":31},"b11","Four places \u003Ccode>ser\u003C\u002Fcode> always wins","Four places ser always wins",{"id":153,"type":154,"items":155,"ordered":17},"b12","list",[156,157,158,159],"\u003Cstrong>Identity\u003C\u002Fstrong> — \u003Cem>Soy Ana.\u003C\u002Fem> \u003Cem>Es mi hermano.\u003C\u002Fem>","\u003Cstrong>Origin and material\u003C\u002Fstrong> — \u003Cem>Es de Perú.\u003C\u002Fem> \u003Cem>Es de algodón.\u003C\u002Fem>","\u003Cstrong>Time and date\u003C\u002Fstrong> — \u003Cem>Son las ocho.\u003C\u002Fem> \u003Cem>Hoy es martes.\u003C\u002Fem>","\u003Cstrong>Events happening\u003C\u002Fstrong> — \u003Cem>La fiesta \u003Cstrong>es\u003C\u002Fstrong> en mi casa.\u003C\u002Fem> (an event \u003Cem>takes place\u003C\u002Fem>; a thing \u003Cem>is located\u003C\u002Fem>)",{"id":161,"html":162,"type":72},"b13","\u003Cp>That last one catches people: \u003Cem>La fiesta es en mi casa\u003C\u002Fem> but \u003Cem>La cocina está en mi casa\u003C\u002Fem>.\u003C\u002Fp>",{"id":164,"html":165,"text":166,"type":83,"level":31},"b14","Four places \u003Ccode>estar\u003C\u002Fcode> always wins","Four places estar always wins",{"id":168,"type":154,"items":169,"ordered":17},"b15",[170,171,172,173],"\u003Cstrong>Location of a thing\u003C\u002Fstrong> — \u003Cem>Está en la mesa.\u003C\u002Fem>","\u003Cstrong>Physical or emotional state\u003C\u002Fstrong> — \u003Cem>Estoy enfermo.\u003C\u002Fem> \u003Cem>Está triste.\u003C\u002Fem>","\u003Cstrong>Progressive tenses\u003C\u002Fstrong> — \u003Cem>Estoy comiendo.\u003C\u002Fem> (always estar)","\u003Cstrong>Result of a change\u003C\u002Fstrong> — \u003Cem>La puerta está abierta.\u003C\u002Fem> \u003Cem>Está muerto.\u003C\u002Fem>",{"id":175,"html":176,"text":176,"type":83,"level":31},"b16","The adjectives that change meaning",{"id":178,"html":179,"type":72},"b17","\u003Cp>This is where the two verbs stop being grammar and start being vocabulary.\u003C\u002Fp>",{"id":181,"head":182,"rows":186,"type":111},"b18",[183,184,185],"Adjective","with \u003Ccode>ser\u003C\u002Fcode>","with \u003Ccode>estar\u003C\u002Fcode>",[187,191,195,199,203,207],[188,189,190],"aburrido","boring","bored",[192,193,194],"listo","clever","ready",[196,197,198],"rico","wealthy","delicious",[200,201,202],"verde","green (colour)","unripe",[204,205,206],"bueno","good (a good person)","tasty \u002F attractive",[208,209,210],"vivo","lively, sharp","alive",{"id":212,"html":213,"type":76},"b19","\u003Cp>El café \u003Cstrong>es\u003C\u002Fstrong> rico. → Coffee is a rich business.\nEl café \u003Cstrong>está\u003C\u002Fstrong> rico. → This coffee tastes great.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"id":215,"html":216,"type":72},"b20","\u003Cp>Learn these six. They are the ones that will embarrass you.\u003C\u002Fp>",{"id":218,"html":219,"text":219,"type":83,"level":31},"b21","The one-question test",{"id":221,"html":222,"type":72},"b22","\u003Cp>Before you choose, ask: \u003Cstrong>am I saying what it is, or how it is right now?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>",{"id":224,"type":154,"items":225,"ordered":18},"b23",[226,227],"\u003Cem>La sopa ___ fría.\u003C\u002Fem> — how it is → \u003Cstrong>está\u003C\u002Fstrong> fría (the soup has gone cold)","\u003Cem>El gazpacho ___ frío.\u003C\u002Fem> — what it is → \u003Cstrong>es\u003C\u002Fstrong> frío (gazpacho is a cold soup, by definition)",{"id":229,"html":230,"type":72},"b24","\u003Cp>Same adjective. Different verb. Different sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>","\nEnglish has one verb for *to be*. Spanish has two, and choosing wrongly changes what you said.\n\n> **Es** aburrido. → He is boring.\n> **Está** aburrido. → He is bored.\n\nYou will be told *ser is permanent, estar is temporary*. Drop that now: **Está muerto** (he is dead) is estar, and nothing is more permanent.\n\n## The line that holds\n\n**`ser` says what something is. `estar` says how or where it is.**\n\nIdentity and definition on one side; condition and location on the other.\n\n| `ser` — what it is | `estar` — how\u002Fwhere it is |\n| --- | --- |\n| Soy profesor. (I'm a teacher) | Estoy cansado. (I'm tired) |\n| Es de Madrid. (He's from Madrid) | Está en Madrid. (He's in Madrid) |\n| Somos cuatro. (There are four of us) | Estamos listos. (We're ready) |\n| La mesa es de madera. (It's wooden) | La mesa está sucia. (It's dirty) |\n| Son las tres. (It's three o'clock) | Está lloviendo. (It's raining) |\n\n## The forms\n\n|  | ser | estar |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| yo | soy | estoy |\n| tú | eres | estás |\n| él \u002F ella \u002F usted | es | está |\n| nosotros | somos | estamos |\n| vosotros | sois | estáis |\n| ellos \u002F ustedes | son | están |\n\nBoth are irregular; both are worth memorising today, because you cannot build a sentence without one of them.\n\n## Four places `ser` always wins\n\n1. **Identity** — *Soy Ana.* *Es mi hermano.*\n2. **Origin and material** — *Es de Perú.* *Es de algodón.*\n3. **Time and date** — *Son las ocho.* *Hoy es martes.*\n4. **Events happening** — *La fiesta **es** en mi casa.* (an event *takes place*; a thing *is located*)\n\nThat last one catches people: *La fiesta es en mi casa* but *La cocina está en mi casa*.\n\n## Four places `estar` always wins\n\n1. **Location of a thing** — *Está en la mesa.*\n2. **Physical or emotional state** — *Estoy enfermo.* *Está triste.*\n3. **Progressive tenses** — *Estoy comiendo.* (always estar)\n4. **Result of a change** — *La puerta está abierta.* *Está muerto.*\n\n## The adjectives that change meaning\n\nThis is where the two verbs stop being grammar and start being vocabulary.\n\n| Adjective | with `ser` | with `estar` |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| aburrido | boring | bored |\n| listo | clever | ready |\n| rico | wealthy | delicious |\n| verde | green (colour) | unripe |\n| bueno | good (a good person) | tasty \u002F attractive |\n| vivo | lively, sharp | alive |\n\n> El café **es** rico. → Coffee is a rich business.\n> El café **está** rico. → This coffee tastes great.\n\nLearn these six. They are the ones that will embarrass you.\n\n## The one-question test\n\nBefore you choose, ask: **am I saying what it is, or how it is right now?**\n\n- *La sopa ___ fría.* — how it is → **está** fría (the soup has gone cold)\n- *El gazpacho ___ frío.* — what it is → **es** frío (gazpacho is a cold soup, by definition)\n\nSame adjective. Different verb. Different sentence.\n",{"title":233,"canonical":234,"description":37},"Spanish A1: ser vs estar — two verbs for 'to be', and the line between","https:\u002F\u002Fbestpractic.org\u002Fblog\u002Fspanish-a1-ser-vs-estar","019ff280-9d75-715b-b7db-2b43d66ab00b",{"id":237,"locked":18},"019ff280-9da2-77ce-9444-e007eac838e5",[239],{"id":240,"slug":34,"title":241,"_count":242},"019ff280-9dc5-7141-8f2d-b8b2e7c8632d","Spanish A1 — ser vs estar",{"questions":243},7,[245],{"locale":13,"slug":34},{"id":240,"slug":34,"title":241,"_count":247,"questionCount":243},{"questions":243},{"items":249,"meta":263},[250],{"id":33,"slug":34,"title":35,"subtitle":36,"excerpt":37,"coverUrl":36,"locale":13,"readingMinutes":38,"publishedAt":39,"viewCount":251,"likeCount":19,"commentCount":19,"author":252,"vertical":253,"topic":254,"tags":255,"_count":261,"playground":262,"hasQuiz":17,"hasPlayground":17},62,{"id":42,"name":43,"username":44,"avatarUrl":36,"headline":45},{"slug":22,"name":23,"accentFrom":26,"accentTo":10},{"slug":48,"name":49},[256,257,258,259,260],{"slug":48,"name":49,"color":36},{"slug":53,"name":54,"color":36},{"slug":56,"name":57,"color":36},{"slug":59,"name":60,"color":36},{"slug":62,"name":63,"color":36},{"assessments":65},{"slug":34},{"page":65,"perPage":243,"total":65,"totalPages":65}]