In Spanish, the verb “estar” translates to the verb “to be” and we use the verb “estar” to say how someone is doing or to talk about the state of something, usually something temporary, such as actions or conditions (for example, I am happy today, the beer is cold, the windows are closed).  We also use it to say where someone or something is located (Where is your house?). Remember, “estar” is an irregular verb.

Note: We must differentiate “estar” from “ser”, which we use to talk about more permanent things. Both verbs can be translated as “to be” in English.

Below, there are several examples of how “estar” is used in Spanish to describe temporary states of being.  Remember what all of these examples have in common is that they can easily change, like the coffee that goes from hot to cold or how someone’s feeling.

Another usage of “Estar” is how it is used to state locations as in the examples below.

The verb “estar” is also used as an auxiliary verb (a verb that helps form a tense along with another verb) in the present continuous tenses. See the examples below.

Now that you’ve seen how “estar” is used and its conjugations, take the following “estar” verb quizzes to test your knowledge.

In this lesson, you’ve learned how to conjugate the verb “estar”, and now you have an understanding of how “estar” is used.  Remember that “estar” is an irregular verb, so you have to memorize its conjugations.  “Estar” is used in Spanish to describe temporary states of being, like stating how you are doing, if something is hot or cold, and also for stating where people or things are located. It’s also used in the present continuous tense as an auxiliary verb. 

If you’ve studied both “ser” and “estar” conjugations, now would be a good time to review the lesson on “Ser vs Estar”.  This lesson will explain in more detail how to use “ser” and “estar” in Spanish.