Transcript Slide 1

Ser or Estar?
• Ser and Estar both mean ‘to be’. So when
do we use which one?
• Meet Scoot P and Ethel P – they’re
cousins, and they are going to help us
decide.
SER – typically for
descriptions and things
that are more permanent.
• Use the acronym SCOOT P to
determine if you should use SER.
Ser
The S stands for Ser, so you always know
which verb you are working with.
Characteristic
tall, short, pretty, tasty,
smart, funny, made of
wood/glass/plastic
Origin
Hi, I’m from Houston.
I am American.
Occupation
I am a doctor.
They are students.
Time
It is 6:30.
The party is at 7.
Possession
This is my house.
Those are your books.
He is our brother.
Key Term: De
De, meaning ‘of’ or ‘from’, is used
for origin, characteristics and
possession.
ESTAR – typically for
things that change
easily, less permanent
Use the acronym ETHEL P
to determine if you should
use ESTAR.
Estar
The E stands for
estar, so you don’t
get them confused.
Temporary
Condition
The potatoes are cold.
I am tired.
Health
He is sick.
I am well.
Emotion
I am happy.
Y’all are sad.
Location
I am in the classroom.
The building is on
Main Street.
Progressives
These are the –ing verbs – we’ll
get to them later!
Key words – En,
encima de, al lado
de, etc.
These key words show location,
which is always ESTAR