Ser vs Estar: Understanding Portuguese ‘To Be’ Verbs

Portuguese has two verbs that correspond to the verb "to be": Ser and Estar. 

However, they are not interchangeable, and language learners often hesitate between using one or the other. So, what’s the difference between the Portuguese verbs ser and estar? How to know which one to use? 

🤓 Don’t worry! Some essential differences between the uses of these verbs will give you clues. In this article, you’ll understand each one and find plenty of examples. You’ll need to get used to their differences if you want to become a fluent Portuguese speaker.

Key Differences between 'Ser' and 'Estar'

As a general rule, ser expresses what someone or something is, describing essential qualities, permanent characteristics, identity, or origin. It is also used to indicate where something belongs.

• 🗼 Sou de Paris. (I’m from Paris.)

• 🥛 Os copos são no armário. (The glasses are on the cupboard. [They belong in the cupboard])

• 🤝 Tu és português. (You are Portuguese.)

• 🧘‍♂️ Nós somos muito pacientes. (We are very patient.)

• 🏠 A casa é grande. (The house is big.)

• 💚 Os meus olhos são verdes. (My eyes are green.)

  
  

Estar expresses where and how something or someone is in a moment in time (being somewhere or being in a state). It is used for things considered non-inherent to the subject, like a transient mood or a state, sometimes due to external action.

• 😊 Eu estou feliz. (I am happy [now].)

• 😴 Ele está cansado. (He is tired.)

• 🧹 A casa está suja. (The house is dirty.)

• 📍 Eu estou em Paris. (I am in Paris.)

• 🥛 Os copos estão na mesa. (The glasses are on the table. [They are located there now])

  
  

When to use one or the other?

There are some tricky situations in which, by just changing the verb, you can change the whole meaning. When in doubt, think whether the characteristic is a state that affects the object or is inherent to its identity.

Let’s look at the phrase “She is happy.”

If we use the verb ser it means she is a happy person, generally or by nature.

• 🙂 Ela é feliz.

If we use the verb estar, we are referring to a state, right now, at this moment.

• 😊 Ela está feliz.

  
  

Here are more examples:

• 🍎 A maçã está verde. (The apple is green. [It’s not ripe])

• 🍏 A maçã é verde. (The apple is green. [Green is its actual colour])

  
  

• 🚗 O meu carro é novo. (My car is new. [I just bought it])

• 👌 O meu carro está novo. (My car is new. [It’s in top condition])

  
  

• 💸 Aquela marca de roupa é cara. (That clothing brand is expensive.)

• 📈 O combustível está caro. (The fuel is expensive. [At the moment])

  
  

Expanding on the Use of ‘Ser'

To identify things or people

• 🏛️ Aquele edifício é a Câmara Municipal. (That building is the City Hall.)

• 🗣️ Eu sou o Alex. (I am Alex.)

• 👫 Tu és o namorado da Carmen, o Paulo? (Are you Carmen’s boyfriend, Paulo?)

To describe people or things

Descriptions are the essential qualities that define a person or thing, and probably won’t change anytime soon.
These descriptions can be physical descriptions, nationalities, occupations, civil status or even religions.

• 👤 Eu sou português. (I am Portuguese.)

• 💬 Vocês são solteiros? (You are single?)

• 🩺 Eu sou médico. (I am a doctor.)

• 🧠 És inteligente. (You are smart.)

• 👩 Ela é loira. (She is blonde.)

• 👭 Nós somos jovens. (We are young.)

• 🌶️ Os pimentos são verdes, vermelhos ou amarelos. (Peppers are green, red or yellow.)

In Portuguese, although some physical characteristics, profession, or civil status may not be strictly permanent, they are considered defining characteristics. Even if they can eventually change, they reflect who someone is, not just how someone is at a particular moment.

To indicate where a place is or where an event takes place

• 🌍 Lisboa é em Portugal. (Lisbon is in Portugal.)

• 🎶 O concerto é na Casa da Música. (The concert is at Casa da Música.)

To indicate the origin of something or someone

• 🧳 Ele é de Chicago. (He is from Chicago.)

• 🏝️ Nós somos de Barcelona. (We are from Barcelona.)

To indicate what something is made of

• 🖊️ A caneta é de metal. (The pen is made of metal.)

• 🪵 Estas cadeiras são de madeira. (These chairs are made of wood.)

To indicate possession

• 📚 De quem são estes livros? (Whose books are these?)

• 🚘 É o meu carro. (It is my car.)

To tell the time

• ⏰ São nove e um quarto. (It is nine fifteen.)

• ☀️ É uma da tarde. (It is one in the afternoon.)

For prices and quantities

• 💸 Quanto é? (How much is it?)

• 💶 São 30 euros. (It is 30 euros.)

For impersonal expressions

• 🚑 É necessário chamar um médico. (It is necessary to call a doctor.)

• 🕒 É melhor esperar. (It is better to wait.)

Conjugation of 'Ser'

Ser is an irregular verb, which means that it doesn’t follow the regular pattern for verb endings. But you’ll hear the forms of ser so often that you’ll get lots of practice with them!

Expanding on the Use of ‘Estar'

We typically use the verb estar when describing the state of an object or person, or to express how someone feels at a particular moment in time.

In general, we use the verb estar in the following situations:

To greet someone

• 👋🏻 Como está? (How are you [formal]?)

• 🙏 Estou bem, obrigado. (I’m fine, thank you.)

To indicate a temporary situation

The situation can be physical or a state of mind.

• 🤒 Estou doente. (I am sick.)

• 👎 Você está triste. (You are sad.)

• 👌 Gosto de ver que estás bem. (I’m pleased to see you are all right.)

To indicate someone’s location or the location of a movable item

• 🌍 Ele está nos Açores. (He is in the Azores.)

• 📖 O livro está à direita do candeeiro. (The book is to the right of the lamp.)

• 🔑 As chaves estão em cima da mesa. (The keys are on the table.)

To talk about the weather

• 🌡️ Hoje está calor! (It is hot today!)

• ⛄ Está muito frio lá fora! (It is very cold outside!)

To talk about a characteristic that you need to try to know of

• 🥣 A sopa está salgada. (The soup is salty.)

• ☕ O café está frio! (The coffee is cold!)

• 🥛 O leite não está bom, está azedo. (The milk isn’t good, it is sour.)

  
  

The verb 'Estar' in progressive tenses

The verb estar is also used to form progressive tenses. These are used to talk about actions in progress.

• 🍽️ Ele está a comer. (He is eating.)

• 🏡 Eu estou a chegar a casa. (I am arriving home.)

• 🎲 Eles estavam a jogar póquer. (They were playing poker.)

• 💤 Nós estávamos a dormir. (We were sleeping.)

  
  

Conjugation of 'Estar'

Estar is also an irregular verb, so you’ll need plenty of practice with it!

Common Mistakes Made with 'Ser' and 'Estar'

Let’s see some of the most common and sometimes even funny mistakes that can happen.

To be boring vs To be bored

If you are bored, you say:

• Estou aborrecido(a). (I am bored.)

If you use 'ser', it means that you are boring:

• Sou aborrecido(a). (I am boring.)

Ser moreno(a) vs Estar moreno(a)

A brunette is said to be 'moreno(a)' and we use 'ser':

• 👩 A Carla é morena. (Carla is a brunette.)

If the person is tanned, we use 'estar' as it is temporary:

• 🏖️ O Luís está moreno. (Luis is tanned.)

Ser doente vs Estar doente

Use 'estar' for temporary health conditions:

• 😷 O Carlos está doente. Está com sarampo. (Carlos is sick. He has the measles.)

Use 'ser' for permanent or chronic conditions:

• 👩‍⚕️ A Ana é hipocondríaca. (Ana is a hypochondriac.)

• 🔬 O Carlos é diabético. (Carlos is diabetic.)

Being Dead or Alive

Death is seen as a state, so the correct form is estar morto(a). Always use estar to describe being dead or alive:

• 🖤 O pássaro está morto. (The bird is dead.)

• 👴 O meu bisavô ainda está vivo. (My great-granddad is still alive.)

  
  

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