to be
Identify a person or thing, or give a characteristic used to describe it.
Minha irmã é engenheira.
My sister is an engineer.
Esse mercado é pequeno, mas tem de tudo.
That market is small, but it has a bit of everything.
to be · to take place
State when or where an event takes place.
A consulta é na quinta-feira.
The appointment is on Thursday.
A reunião é na sala ao lado.
The meeting is in the next room.
to be (the time)
Give the time of day.
É uma hora e meia.
It is half past one.
Já são oito horas!
It is already eight o’clock!
Usage
Ser and estar both translate as “be.” Ser can identify or characterize; estar can describe a state or location. “Permanent versus temporary” is not a reliable rule for every use. This entry focuses on identity, events and clock time.
Conjugation
Explore the conjugation of ser.
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