2.5: "Estar" con preposiciones y adjetivos
- Page ID
- 75227
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"Estar" with prepositions and adjectives
In 1.4.0 you learned how to conjugate the verb "ser" (to be). Unlike English, Spanish has a second verb that translates as "to be": "estar".
Conjugation
While it looks like a regular "-ar" verb, "estar" is an irregular verb because the "yo" form is irregular; and the endings of "tú, usted, él, ella, ustedes, ellos, ellas" require a written accent.
Singular | Conjugation | Plural | Conjugation |
---|---|---|---|
yo | estoy | nosotros/nosotras | estamos |
tú | estás | vosotros/vosotras | estáis |
usted, él/ella | está | ustedes, ellos/ellas | están |
Uses of "estar"
The acronym used to help you remember the uses of "estar" is PLACE:

In the following list, the words that refer to the acronym PLACE are indicated in bold.
- Position: "El libro está encima de la mesa." "El lápiz está en la mochila." ("The book is on top of the table." "The pencil is in the backpack.")
- Location: "Ramiro está en la oficina." "Inés está en casa." ("Ramiro is at the office." "Inés is at home.")
- Action: "Ellos están hablando". "Beto está caminando." ("They are talking." "Beto is walking.")
- Condition: "Estoy enfermo." "Laura está preocupada." ("I am sick (ill)." "Laura is worried.")
- Emotion: "Tú estás feliz." "Vosotros estáis tristes." ("You are happy." "You are sad.")
Common prepositions and adverbs used with location are:
al lado de | next to | delante de | in front of (not facing) |
a la derecha de | to the right of | detrás de | behind |
a la izquierda de | to the left of | en | in; on; at |
allá | over there | encima de | on top of |
allí | there | en frente de | in front of (facing) |
aquí | here | entre | between |
cerca de | near | lejos de | far from |
con | with | sin | without |
debajo de | below | sobre | on; over |
Common adjectives of condition and emotion are:
abierto/a | open | contento/a | content | listo/a | ready |
aburrido/a | bored | desordenado/a | messy; disorderly | nervioso/a | nervous |
alegre | happy | enamorado/a (de) | in love (with) | ocupado/a | busy |
avergonzado/a | embarrassed | enojado/a | angry | ordenado/a | tidy; orderly |
cansado/a | tired | enfermo/a | sick (ill) | preocupado/a (por) | worried (about) |
cerrado/a | closed | equivocado/a | wrong | seguro/a | sure |
cómodo/a | comfortable | feliz | happy | sucio/a | dirty |
confundido/a | confused | limpio/a | clean | triste | sad |