{"id":581,"date":"2009-06-25T07:30:28","date_gmt":"2009-06-25T11:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/portuguese\/?p=549"},"modified":"2009-06-25T07:30:28","modified_gmt":"2009-06-25T11:30:28","slug":"estar-vs-ser","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/portuguese\/estar-vs-ser\/","title":{"rendered":"Estar vs. Ser"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the difficult things for English speakers to learn in Portuguese is to distinguish between estar <\/em>and ser<\/em>, which both mean to be. Let’s review this very important concept.<\/p>\n

First, let’s take a look at how we conjugate both in the present simple tense, since they have similar conjugations.<\/p>\n

ser<\/strong><\/p>\n

eu sou<\/p>\n

tu \u00e9s<\/span><\/p>\n

ele\/ela\/voc\u00ea \u00e9<\/span><\/p>\n

n\u00f3s estamos somos<\/p>\n

eles\/elas\/voc\u00eas s\u00e3o<\/p>\n

estar<\/strong><\/p>\n

eu estou<\/p>\n

tu est\u00e1s<\/p>\n

ele\/ela\/voc\u00ea est\u00e1<\/p>\n

n\u00f3s estamos<\/p>\n

eles\/elas\/voc\u00eas est\u00e3o<\/p>\n

Next, let’s look at how we use each.<\/p>\n

Ser<\/em> is used for permanent conditions, permanent physical characteristics, to describe a profession or nationality, or location.<\/p>\n

Sou muito alta<\/strong>. I’m very tall.<\/p>\n

A menina \u00e9<\/span> angolana.<\/strong> The girl is Angolan.<\/p>\n

Ele \u00e9<\/span> bombeiro.<\/strong> He’s a fireman.<\/p>\n

O pr<\/strong>\u00e9<\/span><\/strong>dio famoso<\/strong> \u00e9 na Fran<\/span>\u00e7<\/strong>a. <\/span><\/strong>The famous building is in France.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Estar<\/em> is used for temporary or transient conditions.<\/p>\n

Voc\u00ea est\u00e1 muito doente. <\/strong>You’re very sick.<\/p>\n

N\u00f3s estamos com fome.<\/strong> We’re hungry.<\/p>\n

O p\u00e1ssaro est\u00e1 na gaiola. <\/strong>The bird is in the cage.<\/p>\n

A pizza est\u00e1 quente. <\/strong>The pizza is hot.<\/p>\n

It’s important to note that the main difference between the two is that ser<\/em> is used for something that is hard or impossible to change or defines something or someone, while estar<\/em> is used for something happening temporarily that can easily change.<\/p>\n

Finally, let’s look at the two side by side.<\/p>\n

Caramba, voc\u00ea est\u00e1 linda!<\/strong> Wow, you look pretty!<\/p>\n

In this case, the beauty is understood as being a temporary condition, with an implied “now” or “today” as a part of the statement.<\/p>\n

Caramba, voce \u00e9<\/span> linda!<\/strong> Wow, you’re pretty!<\/p>\n

This is a compliment, since it means the girl is beautiful, all the time, as something that defines her.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One of the difficult things for English speakers to learn in Portuguese is to distinguish between estar and ser, which both mean to be. Let’s review this very important concept. First, let’s take a look at how we conjugate both in the present simple tense, since they have similar conjugations. ser eu sou tu \u00e9s…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[6,1851],"tags":[2030,2107,379352,2505,2574],"class_list":["post-581","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-grammar","category-learning","tag-comparison","tag-estar","tag-grammar","tag-ser","tag-to-be"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t