GRAMMA
ESTAR in Spanish: Present Tense, Location and States
Spanish Grammar · Introductory (A)
Use estar to locate people and things and to describe a state, condition or situation. This guide covers the present tense, including the forms used in Spain.
Quick answer: what does ESTAR do?
Estar is one of the Spanish verbs translated as “to be”. Its present-tense forms are estoy, estás, está, estamos, estáis, están. It answers questions such as “Where is it?” and “How is someone or something?”
El paquete está en recepción.
The parcel is at reception.
Hoy estamos preocupados por el viaje.
Today we are worried about the trip.
Do not treat estar as a verb that always means “temporary”. Location uses estar even when the place does not change. The useful question is what you want to express: location, a condition or a state.
1. Present-tense forms
| Subject | ESTAR | English |
|---|---|---|
| yo | estoy | I am |
| tú | estás | you are, informal singular |
| él / ella / usted | está | he / she is; you are, formal singular |
| nosotros / nosotras | estamos | we are |
| vosotros / vosotras | estáis | you are, informal plural in Spain |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | están | they are; you are, formal plural in standard Spain Spanish |
Keep the written accents: estás, está, estáis, están. Estoy and estamos have no written accent. You can omit a subject pronoun when the verb form and the context make the subject clear.
¿Estáis en la estación? Estamos junto a la entrada.
Are you at the station? We are next to the entrance.
2. Say where someone or something is
Use estar + a place or position for the physical location of a person, object or building. Common location expressions include en (in / at / on), junto a (next to) and debajo de (under).
La biblioteca está junto al mercado.
The library is next to the market.
Tus zapatillas están debajo del banco.
Your trainers are under the bench.
The library's location may be stable. That does not change the verb: physical location still takes estar. The location of an event is different: El taller es en la biblioteca. — The workshop is at the library.
Ask whether somebody is there
A question such as ¿Está Clara? can mean “Is Clara here / there?” when the location is understood. Add the place if it is not clear.
¿Está Clara en recepción? No, está en una reunión.
Is Clara at reception? No, she is in a meeting.
3. Describe feelings and physical conditions
Use estar to describe how somebody feels or their condition in the situation you are discussing: tired, happy, worried, nervous or ill.
Después de la excursión, Marta está agotada.
After the excursion, Marta is exhausted.
Estamos contentos con el resultado.
We are happy with the result.
The adjective agrees with the person or thing: Luis está nervioso. — Luis is nervous. Sus hermanas están nerviosas. — His sisters are nervous. The verb agrees with the subject too: one person está, several people están.
4. Describe the state of a thing or a situation
Estar also presents something as being in a particular condition: ready, open, closed, clean or hot. You are describing its state, rather than identifying what it is.
La sala está preparada para la reunión.
The room is ready for the meeting.
Los platos todavía están calientes.
The plates are still hot.
El museo está cerrado esta tarde.
The museum is closed this afternoon.
Some expressions describe states that can last a long time. For example, Mi prima está casada. means My cousin is married. Do not choose the verb only by guessing how long the situation will last.
5. Make negatives and questions
Place no immediately before the conjugated verb.
No estoy enfadado; estoy preocupado.
I am not angry; I am worried.
For questions, use opening and closing question marks. A subject can follow the verb, or be omitted when it is understood.
¿Dónde está la salida?
Where is the exit?
¿Estás bien después del viaje?
Are you all right after the trip?
6. Common mistakes
- Incorrect: La farmacia es al lado del hotel. Say: La farmacia está al lado del hotel. — The pharmacy is next to the hotel. Use estar for a building's location.
- Incorrect: Vosotros están preparados. Say: Vosotros estáis preparados. — You are ready. Match the verb to vosotros.
- Incorrect: Las niñas está cansado. Say: Las niñas están cansadas. — The girls are tired. Both the verb and the adjective need agreement.
- Incorrect spelling: Ella esta preocupada. Write: Ella está preocupada. — She is worried. The verb form needs its written accent.
Remember
Where is it? Use estar for the location of a person or thing. How is it? Use estar for a state or condition. Learn the six present-tense forms with their accents, and make the adjective agree with its subject.
For identification, characteristics and event time or location, see SER in Spanish: Present Tense and Essential Uses.