estar
to be
To be in a current or temporary state
Encoding Strategies:
linguistic
repetition
state
condition of something
+
-ar
verb suffix
Estar means to be and shares its root with the English word state0 — it describes the current state0 of something, how it is right now rather than what it permanently is.
estar
to be (condition)
A condition is a temporary state describing how something currently is, not what it permanently is.
- Estoy cansado = I am tired
- El café está frío = The coffee is cold
to feel, to look (appearance)
How someone appears or feels in the moment.
- Estás muy guapa hoy = You look very nice today
to be (location)
Where you are is a temporary state. You can always move (at least in theory)
- ¿Dónde estás? = Where are you?
- La tienda está en la esquina = The store is on the corner
to be (with gerund)
When you're in the middle of doing something right now. Being mid-action is a temporary state.
- Está limpiando la casa = He is cleaning the house
- Estaba cantando cuando llegué = She was singing when I arrived
to be (date)
Today's date is always changing. It's a temporary state.
- Estamos a martes, 5 de enero = It is Tuesday, January 5th
to be (price)
Prices fluctuate, so the current price of something is a temporary state.
- ¿A cuánto están las manzanas? = How much are the apples?
estar de
to be on, to be in, to be working as
The temporary state you find yourself in. "De" connects back to its core meaning of "of" or "from": you're currently "of" that role or situation.
- Estaremos de vacaciones todo el verano = We'll be on vacation all summer
- ¡Estás de suerte! = You're in luck!
- Está de recepcionista hasta encontrar algo mejor = He's working as a receptionist until he finds something better
estar para
to be in the mood for, to be up for
The state of being willing or ready for something. "Para" points toward a goal or purpose. When your current state is oriented toward that goal, you're willing or ready for it.
- No estoy para bromas ahora mismo = I'm not in the mood for jokes right now
- ¿Estás para salir esta noche? = Are you up for going out tonight?
estar por
to be in favor of, to support (support)
Your current state of being in favor of something. "Por" marks the reason or motivation behind your state.
- Estoy por el cambio = I am in favor of change
to remain to be, to still need to be (yet to happen)
The state of something still pending. "Por" marks movement "through" something else - in this case, the pending action. We're still moving through it, and it hasn't completed yet.
- Está por verse si lloverá esta tarde = It remains to be seen whether it will rain this afternoon
- El informe está por escribir = The report still needs to be written