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Portuguese (Portugal)

### Ser vs. Estar: The Core Difference

In Portuguese, both **ser** and **estar** mean "to be", but they serve completely different purposes. 

- **Ser** is for essential, permanent characteristics (what someone or something *is*).
- **Estar** is for temporary states and locations (how someone is feeling *right now* or *where* something is).

Words like **hoje** (today) are a perfect trigger for **estar**, while inherent physical traits or facts use **ser**.

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### Same Word, Different Meaning

Many adjectives can be used with both verbs, but the meaning shifts. Using **ser** describes a lasting personality trait, while **estar** describes a temporary mood.

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Other adjectives naturally describe passing conditions—like being sick or ready—and therefore almost always pair with **estar**.

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### "Permanent" States in Portuguese

Some states that might seem changeable in English are considered permanent facts in Portuguese. For example, marital status uses **ser**.

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You will frequently use both verbs in the same sentence to describe a permanent fact alongside a current location.

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### Contrasting with "Sempre"

To highlight the difference between an enduring trait and a temporary feeling, **ser** is often paired with **sempre** (always), contrasted with **estar** to show a passing exception to the rule.

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### Describing Places vs. Locations

Use **ser** to describe the permanent size, shape, or nature of a place, but use **estar** to state where someone or something currently is.

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Contrasting the two verbs to be (ser vs. estar)

adjective

adverb

conjunction

contraction

determiner

interjection

noun

numeral

particle

phrase

prefix

prep

preposition

pron

pronoun

sentence

verb

Demonstratives and the verb to be (isto é, o, a)

Subject pronouns and negation (eu, não)

Yes/no questions and question words (quem, o que)

Plural pronouns, articles, and verbs (somos, são, os, as)

Origin and possession (de, do, da)

Introductions (chamar-se)

Indefinite articles (um, uma, uns, umas)

The verb to be for locations (estar)

Preposition for locations (em, no, na)

Numbers 0 to 10 (zero, um, dois)

The verb to have (tenho, tem)

Regular -ar verbs (falar, trabalhar)

Regular -er verbs (comer, beber)

Regular -ir verbs (abrir, partir)

My, your, and our (o meu, a nossa)

His, hers, and theirs (dele, dela)

Adjective agreement and placement

Days of the week (segunda-feira)

Months of the year (janeiro)

Counting by tens to 100 (trinta, quarenta...)

Telling time (é uma, são...)

Asking about time (quando, a que horas)

The verb to go (ir)

Prepositions of direction (a, para)

Preposition a contractions (ao, à, aos, às)

Prepositions of place (ao lado de, em frente de...)

Demonstratives (este, esse, aquele)

Contractions with demonstratives (neste, desse, daquele)

Asking which and how many (qual, quanto)

Plurals ending in -ão (-ões, -ãos, -ães)

Plurals ending in consonants (-ns, -is, -es)

The verb to like (gostar de)

The verb to need (precisar de)

The verb to want (querer)

The verb can or may (poder)

Expressing obligation (ter de)

Adverbs of degree (muito, pouco)

Quantifiers (muito, pouco)

Comparatives (mais... do que, menos... do que)

Equality comparisons (tão... como)

The preposition com (comigo, contigo)

Coordinating conjunctions (e, mas, ou, porque)

The preposition por (pelo, pela)

Double negation (nunca, nada, ninguém)

Present continuous (estar a)

Near future (ir)

Past tense of regular -ar verbs

Past tense of regular -er and -ir verbs

Past tense of ser and ir (fui, foi)

Direct object pronouns (me, te, o, a, nos, os, as)

Pronoun placement with negatives and questions

Greetings and courtesy (bom dia, obrigado)

Physical states with ter (ter fome, ter frio)

Asking the way (à direita, sempre em frente)

Colours (vermelho, amarelo, cor-de-rosa)

Money and shopping (custar, a moeda)

Getting around (o motorista, a paragem de autocarro)

Weather and seasons (faz calor, o inverno)

Omitting the subject pronoun

Where things are: ficar (Onde fica...?)

Richer questions: que + noun and é que

Numbers above 100 (cento e vinte, mil)

First-person sound changes (durmo, prefiro)

Advice and ability: dever and saber

Asking why: porquê and porque

When one thing happens: quando-clauses

Here and there: aqui, aí, ali (cá e lá)

Formal and plural possessives: o seu, o vosso

Irregular presents: ver, vir, dar

Present irregulars

Reflexive verbs (me, te, se, nos)

Stem-changing reflexives

Attached object pronouns (-lo, -la, -los, -las)

Nasal attached pronouns (-no, -na, -nos, -nas)

Pronoun placement with adverbs

Past tense of fazer, dizer, and trazer

Past tense of ter, estar, poder, and saber

Past tense of querer and vir

Past tense of ver, dar, and ler

Past tense reflexive verbs (-se)

Time elapsed in the past (há)

Already and not yet (já, ainda não)

Question	Answer
today	hoje
sad	triste
The boy is handsome, but today he is sad.	O rapaz é bonito, mas hoje está triste.
They (f) are sad in the bedroom.	Elas estão tristes no quarto.
happy	feliz
The student (f) is very happy.	A aluna é muito feliz.
The father is happy today.	O pai está feliz hoje.
sick	doente
The dog is not small, but it is sick.	O cão não é pequeno, mas está doente.
Is the doctor (f) sick today?	A médica está doente hoje?
ready	pronto
Is the work ready now?	O trabalho está pronto agora?
Are you ready?	Tu estás pronto?
married	casado
The American man is married.	O homem americano é casado.
They (m) are married and are in Lisbon.	Eles são casados e estão em Lisboa.
He is a good student.	Ele é um bom aluno.
always	sempre
She is always beautiful, but today she is tired.	Ela é sempre bonita, mas hoje está cansada.
the restaurant	o restaurante
The teacher (m) is in the restaurant today.	O professor está no restaurante hoje.
The restaurant is very big.	O restaurante é muito grande.
the garden	o jardim
The garden is small.	O jardim é pequeno.
The cat is there, in the garden.	O gato está ali, no jardim.
nice	simpático
The teacher (f) is very nice.	A professora é muito simpática.
You (pl) are nice, but you are tired.	Vocês são simpáticos, mas estão cansados.
He is always nice, but today he is sad.	Ele é sempre simpático, mas hoje está triste.