Mastering the verbs "Ser" and "Estar" in Brazilian Portuguese

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Today I’m going to teach you one of the most difficult things in Portuguese: when to use <span style="color: #800000; font-size: 14pt;"><strong>SER</strong></span> and <span style="color: #800000; font-size: 14pt;"><strong>ESTAR</strong></span>.

We use <span style="color: #800000; font-size: 14pt;"><strong>SER</strong></span> to describe the how someone or something is always.

We use <span style="color: #800000; font-size: 14pt;"><strong>ESTAR</strong> </span>for transitory or not permanent conditions or characteristics, how a thing is at the moment.

That’s why we say, for example:

Ele está doente (He’s sick)

But we can also say…

Ele é doente (He’s sick)

<strong>What’s the difference?</strong>

Ele está doente (He’s a healthy person, but he’s sick at the moment).

Ele é doente (Probably he has an incurable disease or he’s mentally sick).

See below more uses of the verbs ser and estar.

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #800000;"><strong>Ser</strong></span>

<strong>Nationality</strong>

Eu sou brasileiro (I’m Brazilian)

<strong>Ocupation</strong>

Ele é dentista (He's dentist)

<strong>Personal relationships</strong>

Ele é meu pai (He’s my father)

<strong>Permanent location</strong>

A escola é no centro da cidade (The school is the center city)

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #800000;"><strong>Estar</strong></span>

<strong>Movable location</strong>

Eu estou em casa (I’m at home)

<strong>Mental states</strong>

Eu estou feliz (I’m happy)

Eu estou confuso (I’m confused)

<strong>Physical states</strong>

Eu estou doente (I’m sick)

Eu estou cansado (I’m tired)

Besides all these cases, there are also some tricky things about <strong>SER</strong> and <strong>ESTAR</strong>. Watch the video and find out.

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