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Olá, pessoal!

Many Portuguese learners will often use the word estar instead of ficar when referring to the verb “to be”, most definitely because that is exactly how it would be said in English.

In English you can say that the teddy bear is on the bed and that the bathroom is at the end of the hall, but in Portuguese those will come out differently.

We love to differ permanent situations from temporary ones. Some examples:

O ursinho de pelúcia está em cima da cama.
The teddy bear is on the bed.

O banheiro fica no fim do corredor.
The bathroom is at the end of the hall.

Os talheres ficam na segunda gaveta.
You can find cutlery in the second drawer. (That’s where it always is)

Os talheres já estão na mesa.
Cutlery is already placed on the table. (But that’s not its place, it’s temporary)

When you are translating the word “stay” then obviously it’s likely to be ficar

Por quantos dias você ficou no hotel?
How many days did you stay at the hotel?

Você vai ficar em casa hoje?
Are you going to stay in today?

Another usage is when you want to say that someone got ________ .

In this case you’re also likely to be using ficar.

Ele ficou super irritado com essa situação.
He got super upset with this situation.

Não fico mais surpreso quando ele chega em casa bêbado.
It no longer comes as a surprise when he gets home drunk.

Estou ficando cansado, estou trabalhando desde as cinco da manhã.
I’m getting tired, I’ve been working since since five in the morning.

Não fica triste, se anima, vai!
Don’t be sad, cheer up, come on!

I hope these examples have helped you better use the words ficar and estar, always remember that ficar will be for permanent situations, like things that can’t be easily moved away or that usually has a place of its own.