Ser (to be) · Present
By TutorLily Editorial Team · Last updated
Ser in the Spanish present (presente) is: yo soy, tú eres, él/ella/usted es, nosotros/as somos, vosotros/as sois, ellos/ellas/ustedes son. The present tense of ser describes permanent identity right now. Use it for who you are, where you're from, what you do, and what time it is.
| To Be | Ser |
|---|---|
| I am | yo soy |
| you are | tú eres |
| he/she is | él/ella/usted es |
| we are | nosotros/as somos |
| you are | vosotros/as sois |
| they are | ellos/ellas/ustedes son |
Ser (to be) in context
Sentences that use ser in the present. Tap each to hear it.
I am from Argentina.
Are you a student?
My sister is a teacher.
We are six siblings.
You are very kind to me.
It is two in the afternoon.
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 ser in the present tense?
When do I use ser instead of estar in the present?
Why is 'soy' so different from the infinitive 'ser'?
Practice Ser (To Be) in real conversations
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