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¿Estás loco?

¿Estás loco?
Are you crazy?
From Lesson 13:Ser vs. estar·Spanish (Latin America)

Breakdown of ¿Estás loco?

estar
to be (location/state)
loco
crazy

Questions & Answers about ¿Estás loco?

Why use estás here instead of eres?
We use estás (from the verb estar) because we are talking about a temporary state or sudden behavior. Asking "¿Estás loco?" means "Are you acting crazy right now?". If you used ser and asked "¿Eres loco?", it would mean "Are you a crazy person in general?", which is an essential personality trait.
Do I need to include tú and say "¿Tú estás loco?"?
You do not need to. In Spanish, the verb ending usually tells us who the subject is. The -s at the end of estás already means "you" (informal). Adding tú is not wrong, but leaving it out is much more common and natural.
Does loco change if I am talking to a woman?
Yes! Adjectives in Spanish change to match the gender of the person they describe. If you are asking a woman if she is crazy, you would change the ending and say "¿Estás loca?".
How would I ask this politely or formally?
If you are talking to someone you address with the formal "you" (usted), you must drop the -s on the verb. You would ask "¿Está loco?" to a man, or "¿Está loca?" to a woman.

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