The difference in one pair of sentences
Soy alemán.
I am German. (what I am)
Estoy en Alemania.
I am in Germany. (where I am)
The present-tense forms
Both verbs are irregular, so there is nothing to derive here. Learn the two sets side by side and the contrast will sink in with them.
ser and estar in the present
| Person | ser | estar |
|---|---|---|
| yo (I) | soy | estoy |
| tú (you) | eres | estás |
| él/ella/usted (he/she/you formal) | es | está |
| nosotros (we) | somos | estamos |
| vosotros (you, plural) | sois | estáis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes (they/you formal plural) | son | están |
What is she like? How is she doing?
ser — what someone is like
¿Cómo es María?
What is María like?
Es simpática.
She is nice.
estar — how someone is doing
¿Cómo está María?
How is María (doing)?
Está cansada.
She is tired.
Adjectives that change meaning
With some adjectives the verb decides the meaning. English usually needs two different words here, for example boring and bored; Spanish keeps one adjective and marks the difference on the verb.
María es lista.
María is clever.
María está lista.
María is ready.
Mi hermano es aburrido.
My brother is boring.
Mi hermano está aburrido.
My brother is bored.
