SER AND ESTAR FOR TO BE, ÊTRE, SEIN

 

In English we have to be; in French, être; in German sein and in Spanish ser and estar. Those three languages make do with only one verb, and their speakers seem happy. Read below some of the Spanish possibilities and how English copes with them:

 

Ser listo                  to be clever

Estar listo               to be ready

Estar seguro           to be sure

Ser seguro              to be safe

Ser malo                to be bad, naughty

Estar malo              to be sick, ill

Ser bueno               to be good

Estar bueno            to be tasty

Ser pobre               to be poor

Estar pobre             to be hard up, short of money

Ser alto                  to be tall

Estar alto                to be high

Ser guapo               to be handsome

Estar guapo            to look handsome

Ser elegante           to be elegant

Estar elegante        to look elegant