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Verbo Ser vs. Estar (A1 level) (Portuguese)

Last updated almost 4 years ago
19 questions
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Verbo Ser vs. Estar (A1 Level) Portuguese
Learning, memorising, practicing and using the verbs Ser and Estar - to be, in the present tense. 📖
Today we are going to study the verbs Ser and Estar - to be, in the presente do indicativo.
Verbo Ser
Verbo Estar
Watch this short video about the use of verbs Ser and Estar - to be.
When to use verb Ser - to be (~permanent) and verb Estar - to be (~temporary).

We usually use the verb Ser - to be (~permanent) to describe characteristics that don’t change easily or often.


8 commom uses of verb Ser - to be (~permanent)

1. Use Ser for introductions

  1. Eu sou Luciana. = I am Luciana.
  2. Meu nome é Luciana. = My name is Luciana.
  3. Este é Marcos. = This is Marcos.

2. Use Ser to express nationality or place of origin

  1. Eu sou brasileira. = I am Brazilian.
  2. Dani é do Brasil. = Dani is from Brazil.
  3. Eles são americanos. = They are Americans.

3. Use Ser to state your profession

  1. Eu sou professora. = I am a teacher.
  2. Márcio é médico. = Márcio is a physician.
I can change my profession, right? But this is not something I change from one moment to the next or according to my mood. This is the spirit of the verb Ser.

4. Use Ser to indicate marital status

  1. Joana é casada. = Joana is married.
  2. Nós somos solteiros. = We are single.
  3. Eles são divorciados. = They are divorced.

5. Use Ser to express relationships between people

  1. Elas são irmãs. = They are sisters.
  2. Vanessa e eu somos amigas. = Vanessa and I are friends.
  3. João é meu chefe. = João is my boss.

6. Use Ser to indicate ownership

  1. Este livro é meu. = This book is mine.
  2. Essa é a casa da Camila. = This is Camila’s house.

7. Use Ser to describe permanent or long-lasting characteristics of people, places, and objects

  1. Carol é muito engraçada. = Carol is very funny.
  2. Este livro é muito bom. = This book is very good.
  3. São Paulo é uma cidade fascinante. = São Paulo is a fascinating city.
  4. João é um cara alegre. = João is a joyful guy.
Notice that these examples describe how people, places, and things are in general, not how they are just now or how they feel at the moment (that is the verb Estar’s job).

8. Use Ser to express dates and time

  1. Hoje é quarta-feira. = Today is Wednesday.
  2. Hoje é dia 9 de novembro. = Today is November’s 9th.
  3. São onze horas. = It’s 11 am.
You may be thinking: “Wait! You just told me that I should use the verb Ser for permanent characteristics. It’s only 11 am for a minute.” I know, right? But we use the verb Ser for dates and the time. Rules can help us, but they won’t answer all our questions.

We usually use the verb Estar - to be (~temporary) to express conditions, characteristics, or states that are transitory or not permanent, such as how you feel at a certain moment.


Commom uses of verb Estar - to be (~temporary)

1. Temporary characteristics

1. A Ana está triste porque o André terminou com ela. = Ana is feeling sad because André broke up with her.
2. Tiago está muito cansado hoje. = Tiago is very tired today.

2. Greettings

1. Olá, como está? = Hello, how are you?
2. Oi, tudo bem? Como estão as coisas? = Hi, how are you? How are things?

3. Location

  1. Maria está em casa. = Maria is at home.
  2. Lorena está na praia. = Lorena is at the beach.
  3. Onde está a chave do carro? = Where is the car key?
4. The weather
1. Hoje está sol. = Today is sunny.
2. Agora está a chuver. = Now it is raining.
5. Specific situations that require the use verb Estar - to be (~temporary) + prepostion com
  1. Estou com fome. = I’m hungry.
  2. Todos estão com fome. = Everyone is hungry.
  3. Helena está com sede. = Helena is thirsty.
  4. Estou com frio. = I feel cold.
  5. Estou com calor. = I feel hot.
  6. Márcio está com sono. = Márcio is sleepy.
  7. Nós estamos com pressa. = We are in a hurry.
  8. Mariana não está com medo. = Mariana is not scared.
  9. Ela está com ciúme do namorado. = She is feelings jealous of her boyfriend.
  10. Ele está com inveja de você. = He is feeling envious of you.
Required
16

Tell if the information about the uses of the verb Ser - to be (~permanent) on the left are true ✅ or false ❌ .

Verdadeiro ✅
Falso ❌
1. Use Ser for introductions
2. Use Ser to express feelings and emotions
3. Use Ser to state your profession
4. Use Ser to indicate marital status
5. Use Ser to express relationships between people
6. Use Ser to explain how the weather isn't great
7. Use Ser to describe permanent or long-lasting characteristics of people, places, and objects
8. Use Ser to express travelling into the furete
Required
10

Tell if the information about the uses of the verb Estar - to be (~temporary) on the left are true ✅ or false ❌ .

Verdadeiro ✅
Falso ❌
1. Temporary characteristics
2. Farewells
3. Location
4. The weather
5. Specific situations like when you want to tell your mates 'YOLO'!
Required
10
Drag and drop the correct conjugation of the verb Ser - to be (~permant) after the subject.
Eu ________
Tu _______
Ele/Ela/Você ______
Nós __________
Eles/Elas/Vocês ________

Drag and drop the correct conjugation of the verb Estar - to be (~temporary) after the subject.
Eu __________
Tu __________
Ele/Ela/Você _________
Nós ____________
Eles/Elas/Vocês __________
Other Answer Choices:
estou
estás
são
estamos
somos
és
estão
está
é
sou
Required
10

Match the correct conjugation of the verbs Ser and Estar - to be, to a correct subject.

Draggable itemCorresponding Item
estás
Eu
és
Eles/Elas/Vocês
somos
Tu
está
Nós
estamos
Ele/Ela/Você
estão
Eu
são
Nós
sou
Eles/Elas/Vocês
estou
Tu
é
Ele/Ela/Você
Required
5
Pick the correct line with the conjugation of the verbs Ser and Estar - to be.
(There is only one correct answer per list).
______________________________ ____________________
Required
2

Which do the verbs Ser and Estar mean in english?

Required
2

Which verb do we use for location, weather, temporary things?

Required
2

Which verb do we use for descriptions, time, relations, etc.?

Required
2

Nós ________ divorciados.

Required
2

Elas _______ doentes.

Required
2

Como é que você _______?

Required
2

A Rita ______ alta!

Required
4

In one word answer the question:
Nós estamos na escola?

Required
4

In one word answer the question:
Nós somos engenheiros?

Required
4

Translate into english: Eles são amigos.

Required
4

Translate into english: Eu estou feliz.

Required
4

Translate into english: Eu sou inteligente.

Required
4

Translate into english: Eles estão a estudar.

Required
11

The 4 amigos!
A boy describes his group of friends. Draw the picture and write their names under:
Nós somos 4 amigos.
Eu sou o João e sou alto. Agora estou em casa a jogar XBOX.
O Manuel é gordo. Agora ele está a estudar para os exames.
O Rui é baixo e o Paulo é magro. Agora eles estão de férias na praia.

Share the drawing you made of The 4 amigos!

https://padlet.com/helena_bidarra/jmfmwbnggzih5pzq
Review the differences between sing verb Ser or Estar - to be, by playing around with this quizlet.
Extra (optional) homework from the book Gramática Ativa 1.
Extra (optional) homework from the book Gramática Ativa 1 (cont.).
Made by Helena Bidarra, Portuguese Development Officer
for Post-Primary Languages Ireland