Ser is used in a simple way, to talk about WHAT something is (permanent states), to describe characteristics that are an essential part of the thing we’re talking about. Estar is used to talk about HOW something is, so we use it for conditions, locations, emotions, and actions (temporary states).

How to know if to use ser or estar? In short, the key difference is that ser is your go-to verb for talking about things that are permanent or defining: who you are, where you're from, and your characteristics. Think of it as the verb for the things not likely to change. Estar, on the other hand, is all about the here and now.

Simply put, ser is used to talk about permanent states, while estar is used to talk about temporary conditions. In English, you would use the verb “to be” for both, but in Spanish they have somewhat different meanings. Another way to explain their difference is that ser talks about what something is and estar talks about how something is.

‘Ser’ is used to denote permanent qualities, like identity and inherent characteristics, while ‘estar’ indicates temporary states such as feelings, physical condition, or location. The conjugation patterns for ‘ser’ and ‘estar’ are irregular and mastering them is crucial for correctly expressing states of being, time, and occupations in Spanish.

The easy approach to differentiate these two verbs is the following: Ser describes an inherit or intrinsic attribute and indicates permanence. Estar describes an induced characteristic and talks about a temporary quality.