What is eres vs estas?

Here's a breakdown of the difference between "eres" and "estás" in Spanish:

Both eres and estás are forms of the verb ser (to be) and estar (to be), respectively, and are used in the tú (informal "you") form. The key difference lies in when you use each one:

• Eres: This is the tú form of the verb <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/ser">ser</a>, which is primarily used to describe permanent or inherent characteristics. Think of it as describing who someone is. It's used for:

  • Origin/Nationality: Tú eres de España. (You are from Spain.)
  • Occupation/Profession: Tú eres estudiante. (You are a student.)
  • Characteristics: Tú eres inteligente. (You are intelligent.)
  • Physical Descriptions: Tú eres alto. (You are tall.)
  • Relationships: Tú eres mi amigo. (You are my friend.)
  • Time: Hoy eres el 15 de mayo. (Today is May 15th.)

• Estás: This is the tú form of the verb <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/estar">estar</a>, which is used for temporary states, conditions, locations, and feelings. Think of it as describing how someone is or where someone is. It's used for:

  • Location: Tú estás en la casa. (You are at home.)
  • Temporary States/Conditions: Tú estás cansado. (You are tired.)
  • Feelings/Emotions: Tú estás feliz. (You are happy.)
  • Present Progressive Tense: Tú estás comiendo. (You are eating.) - Used with gerunds.

In summary:

Feature	Eres (from ser)	Estás (from estar)
Meaning	To be (permanent/inherent qualities)	To be (temporary states, conditions, locations, feelings)
Use	Describing who someone is: Origin, occupation, characteristics, relationships, time	Describing how or where someone is: Location, temporary states, feelings, present progressive
Keywords	DOCTOR (Date, Occupation, Characteristics, Time, Origin, Relation) (a mnemonic to remember ser's uses)	PLACE (Position, Location, Action, Condition, Emotion) (a mnemonic to remember estar's uses)