A1 · Who you are, and how you are today

Ser vs estar

Ser is the long story: identity, origin, profession, the time. Estar is the weather of the moment: location, mood, the coffee being hot. Mix them and you sound foreign; keep them apart and Portuguese opens.

• Sou alemão. Estou em Lisboa.

  I am German. I am in Lisbon (right now).

• A loja é grande. A loja está fechada.

  The shop is big. The shop is closed (today).

• São três horas. Estou cansado.

  It's three o'clock. I'm tired.