Read and practise without an account
Ser or estar? European Portuguese examples explained
Both verbs can mean “to be”. The shortcut “ser is permanent, estar is temporary” does not solve every sentence. Start by asking what you want to express: identify someone, describe a state or say where someone is.
Libraski
1. Use ser to say who someone is
Start with ser for origin and occupation. Useful present-tense forms are eu sou, tu és and ele/ela é. The subject pronoun is often left out when the person is clear from context.
- Sou de Berlim.
- I am from Berlin.
- A Rita é professora.
- Rita is a teacher.
- És estudante?
- Are you a student?An informal question to one person.
Further reading: Ciberdúvidas · O ensino de ser e estar
2. Use estar to describe a state
For a state in a particular situation, these examples use estar: eu estou, tu estás, ele/ela está. Notice the adjective ending too: cansado with a masculine reference, cansada with a feminine one.
- Hoje estou cansada.
- I am tired today.A female speaker is talking.
- O café está frio.
- The coffee is cold.You are describing the state of this coffee.
3. Distinguish a person’s location from an event’s venue
Use estar for a person’s whereabouts. With an event such as a meeting, ser can name the venue. Asking “where?” does not automatically require estar. Learn the location together with the person or event it describes.
- A Rita está no café.
- Rita is at the café.
- A reunião é no café.
- The meeting is at the café.
Further reading: Ciberdúvidas · Ser na aceção de estar situado
4. Look beyond duration
An occupation can change, yet the example still uses é professora. Verb choice is not simply a matter of how long something lasts. Practise short contrasts with a clear situation.
Cover the verb, explain the intended meaning in your own language, then supply the Portuguese form. When both verbs are possible with an adjective, meaning or perspective may change. Learn those cases in context rather than treating them as isolated gaps.
Try it yourself
Complete: A Rita ___ professora. Hoje ___ cansada. A reunião ___ no café.
Show the answer and explanation
A Rita é professora. Hoje está cansada. A reunião é no café.
É professora identifies an occupation; está cansada describes Rita’s state today. With a reunião, é gives the event’s venue. The “temporary” shortcut alone cannot explain the third answer.