Language/Portuguese/Grammar/Ser-and-Estar

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Portuguese Grammar → Unit 2: Verbs - Present Tense → Ser and Estar

As a beginner in Portuguese, you've probably already learned how to use the present tense of regular verbs and some common irregular verbs. Now it's time to take a look at two of the most important and commonly used verbs in the language: ser and estar. These verbs are not only essential for basic communication, but they also have some nuances that can be tricky for non-native speakers to grasp. In this lesson, we'll dive into the differences between ser and estar, how to conjugate them in the present tense, and provide plenty of examples along the way.

Don't hesitate to look into these other pages after completing this lesson: Indefinite Pronouns & Plurals.

Ser

Ser is the Portuguese verb for "to be" and is used to describe permanent, unchanging situations or characteristics. This includes things like:

Nationality
Occupations
Physical descriptions that are unlikely to change (e.g., "He is tall" rather than "He is standing on a crate to appear taller")
Dates and times
Relationships and identifications (e.g., "She is my sister")

Let's take a look at how ser is conjugated in the present tense:

Portuguese	Pronunciation	English
Eu sou	[ˈɛw ˈsaw]	I am
Tu és	[tu ˈɛʃ]	You are (informal, singular)
Ele/Ela/Você é	[ɛlɨˈȷ̃a/vɨˈsɛ/voˈsɛ]	He/She/You are (formal, singular)
Nós somos	[ˈnɔʃ ˈsɔmoʃ]	We are
Vós sois	[ˈvɔʃ ˈsojʃ]	You all are (informal, plural)
Eles/Elas/Vocês são	[ˈɛlɨʃ/ˈɛlaʃ/vɔˈseʃ]	They/You all are (formal, plural)

Here are some examples of ser in action:

Eu sou do Brasil. (I am from Brazil.)
Nós somos professores. (We are teachers.)
Ela é alta e bonita. (She is tall and beautiful.)
Vocês são alunos na universidade? (Are you all students at the university?)

Estar

Estar is also a Portuguese verb for "to be," but it is used to describe temporary, changing situations or conditions. This includes things like:

Emotions and feelings
Physical locations
Temporary states of being (e.g., "He is sick" rather than "He is always sick")
Certain weather conditions

Let's take a look at how estar is conjugated in the present tense:

Portuguese	Pronunciation	English
Eu estou	[ˈɛw ɨˈstow]	I am
Tu estás	[tu iˈʃtas]	You are (informal, singular)
Ele/Ela/Você está	[ɛˈli/ɛˈla/vɔˈsɛ iˈʃta]	He/She/You are (formal, singular)
Nós estamos	[ˈnɔʃ iˈʃtamow]	We are
Vós estais	[ˈvɔʃ iˈʃtajʃ]	You all are (informal, plural)
Eles/Elas/Vocês estão	[ˈɛl(ɨ)ʃ/eˈlaʃ/voˈseʃ iˈʃtɐ̃(w̃)]	They/You all are (formal, plural)

Here are some examples of estar in action:

Eu estou feliz hoje. (I am happy today.)
Ele está em casa. (He is at home.)
Está chovendo lá fora. (It is raining outside.)
Estamos cansados. (We are tired.)

Ser vs. Estar

As you can see from the examples above, ser and estar are used in very different contexts. However, there are some situations where both verbs could technically be used, but the meaning of the sentence would change. Here are a few examples:

Ele é morto. (He is dead.)

In this case, ser is used because death is a permanent condition that cannot be changed. If you were to say "Ele está morto," it would imply that he is temporarily dead and could potentially come back to life.

A comida é boa. (The food is good.)

In this case, ser is used because the quality of the food is considered a permanent characteristic. If you were to say "A comida está boa," it would suggest that the food is only temporarily good and could potentially become bad later.

Eu estou casada. (I am married.)

In this case, estar is used because while marriage is a relatively permanent state, it could technically be changed with a divorce. However, if you were to say "Eu sou casada," it would suggest that you were innately and permanently married, which doesn't make much sense.

Exercises

Now that you understand the difference between ser and estar, it's time to practice! Use the verbs to fill in the blanks in the following sentences. Remember to pay attention to the context of the sentence to determine which verb to use.

1. O meu irmão ______ brasileiro. (ser/estar) 2. Eu _______ doente hoje. (ser/estar) 3. A festa ______ na casa da Maria. (ser/estar) 4. A professora _______ zangada com os alunos. (ser/estar) 5. Os meus sapatos _______ debaixo da cama. (ser/estar)

Sources

Table of Contents - Portuguese Course - 0 to A1

Course Presentation

Unit 1: Greetings and Basic Phrases

Unit 2: Verbs - Present Tense

Unit 3: Family and Descriptions

Unit 4: Verbs - Future and Conditional Tenses

Unit 5: Portuguese-Speaking Countries and Cultures

Unit 6: Food and Drink

Unit 7: Verbs - Past Tense

Unit 8: Travel and Transportation

Unit 9: Indefinite Pronouns and Prepositions

Unit 10: Health and Emergencies

Other Lessons

◀️ Irregular Verbs — Previous Lesson	Next Lesson — Family Members ▶️

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