ser
verbCEFR A1High frequency
What does “ser” mean in English?
to be
to be (essential)
Example sentences
Yo soy de España.
I'm from Spain.
Es estudiante.
He/she is a student.
Somos amigos.
We're friends.
How to use it
Ser means 'to be' (essence, identity, origin, profession). Highly irregular: soy, eres, es, somos, sois, son. Distinct from estar (state, location).
Common mistake
Ser is for 'permanent' attributes: identity, origin, profession, time. Don't use ser for moods, locations, or temporary states — that's estar's job.
Forms of ser
- Present
- soy, eres, es, somos, sois, son