Ser
Use ser for identity, origin, profession, and basic descriptions.
Ser
Ser means “to be.” At A1, use it to say who someone is, where they are from, what they do, or what they are like.
Present tense
| Subject | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | soy |
| tú | eres |
| él / ella / usted | es |
| nosotros/as | somos |
| vosotros/as | sois |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | son |
Main A1 uses
-
Identity: Soy Ana. — I am Ana.
-
Origin: use ser de + place to say where someone is from.
Soy de México.
I am from Mexico.
Ana es de Puebla.
Ana is from Puebla.
Somos de España.
We are from Spain.
-
Nationality: Ana es mexicana. — Ana is Mexican.
-
Profession or role: Leo es profesor. — Leo is a teacher.
-
Basic description: Mis amigos son simpáticos. — My friends are nice.
Professions and roles: usually no article
Spanish normally leaves out un or una before an unmodified profession, occupation, identity, or role after ser.
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| I am a student. | Soy estudiante. |
| I am a Spanish student. | Soy estudiante de español. |
| I am a teacher. | Soy profesora. |
| She is a doctor. | Es médica. |
An article can appear when the noun is modified or described, especially by an adjective:
Es un buen médico.
He is a good doctor.
Soy una buena estudiante.
I am a good student.
Watch out
For beginner descriptions, adjectives must agree with the person or thing. Use estar for location and simple temporary states, and llamarse to say your name.