ser
first-person singular present of ser
to be (permanent or inherent qualities, identity, origin)
Definitions
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1
To express identity or who/what someone is
“Me llamo Ana y soy profesora de matemáticas.”
My name is Ana and I am a mathematics teacher.
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2
To express nationality or origin
“Mi amigo Carlos soy... Carlos es de México, pero yo soy de España.”
My friend Carlos is from Mexico, but I am from Spain.
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3
To describe permanent or inherent characteristics
“Creo que soy una persona muy trabajadora y honesta.”
I think I am a very hardworking and honest person.
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4
To state the time, date, or price (impersonal use, third-person)
“No soy el único estudiante que llegó tarde hoy.”
I am not the only student who arrived late today.
Conjugation
Present
| yo | soy |
| tú | eres |
| él/ella/usted | es |
| nosotros | somos |
| vosotros | sois |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | son |
Preterite (Past)
| yo | fui |
| tú | fuiste |
| él/ella/usted | fue |
| nosotros | fuimos |
| vosotros | fuisteis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | fueron |
Future
| yo | seré |
| tú | serás |
| él/ella/usted | será |
| nosotros | seremos |
| vosotros | seréis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | serán |
Present Perfect
| yo | he sido |
| tú | has sido |
| él/ella/usted | ha sido |
| nosotros | hemos sido |
| vosotros | habéis sido |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | han sido |
Spanish has two verbs meaning "to be": ser and estar. Use ser (soy, eres, es…) for permanent or defining traits — identity, profession, nationality, and inherent characteristics. Use estar for temporary states or locations. Mixing them up is one of the most common mistakes for English speakers, so it's worth learning the distinction early.