SER vs. ESTAR and Present Participles

Vocabulary flashcards covering the definitions, uses, tense conjugations, and present participle rules for SER and ESTAR.

SER

A verb meaning 'to be' that mostly expresses invariable characteristics.

ESTAR

A verb meaning 'to be' that expresses location, variable qualities, and changing states.

Uses of SER

Used to tell time or say at what time something happens, say nationality and origin, define someone or something, say what belongs to someone, say what someone or something is like, and say where something takes place.

Uses of ESTAR

Used to say where something or someone is located, describe physical condition, emotional state, or taste, and form the present progressive when combined with a present participle.

SER present tense

soy, eres, es, somos, sois, son

SER imperfect tense

era, eras, era, éramos, erais, eran

SER preterite tense

fui, fuiste, fue, fuimos, fuisteis, fueron

ESTAR present tense

estoy, estás, está, estamos, estáis, están

ESTAR imperfect tense

estaba, estabas, estaba, estábamos, estabais, estaban

ESTAR preterite tense

estuve, estuviste, estuvo, estuvimos, estuvisteis, estuvieron

Present Progressive

Formed using ESTAR + present participle.

-ar verbs present participle rule

Change -ar to -ando.

-er verbs present participle rule

Change -er to -iendo.

-ir verbs present participle rule

Change -ir to -iendo.

hablar (present participle)

hablando

estudiar (present participle)

estudiando

trabajar (present participle)

trabajando

caminar (present participle)

caminando

bailar (present participle)

bailando

mirar (present participle)

mirando

escuchar (present participle)

escuchando

cocinar (present participle)

cocinando

practicar (present participle)

practicando

preparar (present participle)

preparando

comer (present participle)

comiendo

beber (present participle)

bebiendo

correr (present participle)

corriendo

aprender (present participle)

aprendiendo

escribir (present participle)

escribiendo

vivir (present participle)

viviendo

abrir (present participle)

abriendo

recibir (present participle)

recibiendo

subir (present participle)

subiendo