Estar (to be) · Subjunctive
By TutorLily Editorial Team · Last updated
Estar in the Spanish present subjunctive (presente de subjuntivo) is: yo esté, tú estés, él/ella/usted esté, nosotros/as estemos, vosotros/as estéis, ellos/ellas/ustedes estén. The present subjunctive of estar appears after triggers of doubt, emotion, wish, or impersonal expressions when the state being discussed is temporary or location-based. All forms carry an accent on the final syllable except nosotros and vosotros.
| To Be | Estar |
|---|---|
| I be | yo esté |
| you be | tú estés |
| he/she be | él/ella/usted esté |
| we be | nosotros/as estemos |
| you be | vosotros/as estéis |
| they be | ellos/ellas/ustedes estén |
Estar (to be) in context
Sentences that use estar in the subjunctive. Tap each to hear it.
It is necessary that I be present at the meeting.
I want you to be calm.
I hope your family is well.
It is important that we be united.
I want you to be ready for the trip.
I doubt they are home at this hour.
Working with the subjunctive
The subjunctive isn't a tense — it's a mood. It signals that the speaker views the action as uncertain, desired, or evaluated rather than asserted as fact. Triggers come in four families: WEIRDO (Wishes, Emotion, Impersonal expressions, Recommendations, Doubt, Ojalá) is the standard mnemonic. When you see "que" after one of these triggers, the verb that follows is almost always subjunctive. The irregular subjunctive stem comes from the yo form of the present indicative — learn "hago" and you know "haga" is the subjunctive stem.
Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate estar in the present subjunctive?
When do I use the subjunctive of estar?
Why does the subjunctive of estar have accents on most forms?
Practice Estar (To Be) in real conversations
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