What’s the difference between “ser” and “estar” in Portuguese?

What’s the difference between “ser” and “estar” in Portuguese?

In first place, I’m not a teacher of languages, but I want to be one day. =) I create this blog for offer some help for English speakers about my language, Brazilian Portuguese and for show a bit of our culture too.

I will try answering any question in commentaries and I ask you, forgive me for any mistakes on my English writing. ^^

Now, let’s go!

TO BE

When we learn about the To Be verb in English’s courses, we learn this: To Be is for “Ser” and “Estar”.

In this way: “Eu sou medico.” = “I’m doctor” or “Eu estou cansado.” = “I’m tired.”.

This is easy for us, but, when the English Speakers have to learn Portuguese, appears the doubt. What the hell is that?   O.o  Calm down, let us see.

Photo by Casa da Motivação

SER and ESTAR

“Ser” = have identity and/or intrinsic characteristic. It relates to something that does not change or changes very slowly, something not transitory.

"Estar" = for the situations that we can change quickly , it is totally transitory.

Example:

“Eu sou novo aqui.” = “I am new here.” = I can't change that quickly, just after a lot time that I will no longer be “the new guy”.

“Eu sou um homem negro.” = “I’m a black man.” = With the exception of Michael Jackson (sorry about the joke, but it is true), we can’t change our color skin permanently, we can sunbathe in, but this is temporally. If you are white, you are white. If you are yellow, you are yellow. Forever! In these cases we use “ser”.

“Eu estou cansado.” = “I’m tired.” = I’m tired, but if I take a breath or rest, I will be fine again. So, “estar cansado” is transitory, I can change that quickly, because of that, we use “estar”.

“Eu estou com fome.” = “I'm hungry.” = In this case, we have a transitory situation again: I’m hungry, but I can eat and then, I’m not hungry anymore.

"Eu estou na casa." = "I'm in the house." = I can move from place quickly if I want to. 

RESUME:

Ser = for the situations that we can't change easily or we can never change, that is not transitory.

Estar = for the situations that we can change quickly , it is totally transitory.

When you go to make a decision between

“Ser” or “Estar”, think:

“This situation is definitely,

difficult to change or transitory?”

EXAMPLES of “Estar”:

“Ela está noiva.” = “She is engaged.”

“Eu estou com medo.” = “I’m scared.”

“Nós estamos atrasados.” = “We are late.”

“Eu estou no hotel.” = “I’m in the hotel.”

“Eu estou escrevendo um livro.” = “I’m wrinting a book.”

“Ela está dormindo.” = “She is sleeping.”

“Eu estou apaixonado.” = “I’m in love.”

“Ele está nervoso.” = “He is nervours.”

“Minha calça está suja.” = “My pants are durty.”

EXAMPLES of “Ser”:

“Ela é magra.” = “She is skinny.”

“Você é branco.” = “You are white.”

“Minha camisa é azul.” = “My shirt is blue.”

“Meu filho é um bebê.” = “My son is a baby.”

EXCEPTIONS: For dates, hours and professions, we always use the “Ser”.

Examples:

“Hoje é 17 de fevereiro.” = “Today is February, 17.”

“Minha festa é às 14h.” = “My party is at 2:00 PM.”

"Meu pai é um professor." = "My father is a teacher."

That’s it! Any questions, suggestions or critics, please comment and I answer. ^^