Spanish The Verb estar

Overview

Estar is one of two Spanish verbs that mean "to be."* Estar is used to describe the current state of a noun – temporary, changeable attributes; feelings, emotions, location, prices, relationship status, temp jobs, etc.

Back to the Course

Hi, you can review other topics from this course level.

Visit the Shop

Start classes with one of our professional teachers today.

The Spanish Verb Estar

In Spanish we have two forms of the verb “to be”. We have already learned one of them in our previous lesson about the verb SER. Today, we are going to talk all about the other word for “to be” - ESTAR.

When we use the verb ESTAR and all of its different forms, we are saying:

ESTAR – TO BE

Estoy– I am	Estamos– We are
Estás– You (informal) are	Estáis– You all are
Está– He/she is, You (formal) are	Están– They are, You all are

**NOTE: Remember to include your accents for the tú, él/ella/usted, vosotros and ellos/ellas/ustedes forms of this verb. The word meaning will change without one!

We use ESTAR in these three scenarios:

To talk about LOCATION of something (ex: I am in my house, My book is on the table)
To talk about the CONDITION or FEELING of something (ex: The soup is hot, My friends are sad)
To use the PRESENT PROGRESSIVE (“ing”) tense (ex: We are reading a book, You are running)

Don't miss out!

Hi there, you are currently not signed in.

CORE Languages students who are signed in get credit for daily engagement while studying. Additionally, save your quiz and test grades by logging in. Even if you are just a language buff wanting to get a bit more studying in, Sign In and receive weekly content updates, access to Free PDF guides and special pricing on online training from our shop.

Additional Activities

Review the unit lesson above and complete additional activities to build your understanding of this topic. For the activities listed below, make sure you are signed in to keep track of your progress, to receive our weekly topics e-mail and special promotions! We are letting you know, you are not signed in. And progress will not be saved.

Let’s practice conjugating ESTAR when used in sentences about location, condition/feeling or the present progressive. In 4-10 you will conjugate ESTAR based on the subjects of the sentences below.

Be sure to click READ MORE below to see the answer key once you are finished.

T/F: In Spanish there are three verbs that mean “TO BE”.
T/F: ESTAR is used to describe someone’s appearance.
T/F: Accents are mandatory when using the verb estar in the tú, él/ella/usted, vosotros and ellos/ellas/ustedes forms of the verb.
Now, choose the appropriate conjugation of the verb ESTAR based on the subject of the sentence:
Yo _________ en el banco.
¿Ustedes _________ enojados porque los Braves perdieron el juego?
¿Dónde _________ mis llaves (keys)?
Mi madre _________ en el jardín.
¿Tú _________ contenta?
Nosotros _________ caminando (walking) en la playa.
Mi jefe (boss) _________ en la oficina.