SER and ESTAR

By Raquel Semantica / / (2) Beginning Portuguese
ser-estar

Previously, we looked at how to use the portuguese verb SER. Now let's look at the differences between SER and ESTAR.

Ser

Ser is for intrinsic, somewhat permanent characteristics.

Meu nome é Raquel.

My name is (permanently/always) Raquel.

Eu sou brasileira.

I am (permanently/always) Brazilian.

Ele é casado.

He is (somewhat permanently) married.

Estar

Estar is for temporary passing things. (ESTAR - the definitive reference)

Eles estão atrasados.

They are (temporarily) late.

A Veronica está na academia.

Veronica is (temporarily) at the gym.

The difference between the two is sometimes jokingly used by Brazilians:

Joana: Nossa! Você está bonita!

Joana: Wow! You are beautiful (at this moment)!

Maria: Eu não ESTOU bonita, eu SOU bonita.

I am not (temporarily) beautiful, I am (permanently/always) beautiful.

Exceptions and etc.

Death. It seems like it might be a permanent situation (ahem) but not in portuguese. Use estar:

Ele está morto há muito tempo.
He's been dead a long time.

The day. Brazilians will say, "It's a beautiful day" and use both ser as well as estar. That's probably because if you just mean the weather, that's a temporary (estar) aspect, but you could also be saying that the day is beautiful intrinsically and will go down in history as such... !

O dia está bonito!
Hoje é lindo!