Estar (to be) · Present
By TutorLily Editorial Team · Last updated
Estar in the Spanish present (presente) is: yo estoy, tú estás, él/ella/usted está, nosotros/as estamos, vosotros/as estáis, ellos/ellas/ustedes están. The present tense of estar describes how or where someone or something is right now. It is irregular in the yo form ('estoy') and carries accent marks on tú, él/ella/usted, and ellos/ellas/ustedes forms.
| To Be | Estar |
|---|---|
| I am | yo estoy |
| you are | tú estás |
| he/she is | él/ella/usted está |
| we are | nosotros/as estamos |
| you are | vosotros/as estáis |
| they are | ellos/ellas/ustedes están |
Estar (to be) in context
Sentences that use estar in the present. Tap each to hear it.
I am very tired today.
Are you home?
The book is on the table.
We are ready to go out.
You look very elegant tonight.
The children are sleeping.
Working with the present
Spanish uses the present tense more broadly than English does. "Estudio español" can mean "I study Spanish," "I am studying Spanish," or "I do study Spanish" — context decides. The biggest stumbling block for English speakers is the yo form of irregular verbs (hago, tengo, doy, voy, soy). Memorise those individually; the other persons usually follow regular patterns.
Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate estar in the present tense?
When do I use estar instead of ser in the present?
Why does 'yo estoy' have a '-y' ending?
Practice Estar (To Be) in real conversations
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