Ser Conjugation, The Verb Ser in Spanish: A Complete Guide
The Spanish verb ser is one of the most important verbs in the language. It is used to express identity, nationality, profession, and other essential information about people and things. In this post, we will provide a complete guide to the Spanish verb ser, covering its conjugation, usage, and common mistakes to avoid.
By the end of this post, you will be able to use the Spanish verb ser with confidence and fluency!
The verb Ser explained
The Verb Ser means (To be) and is a crucial verb to know in Spanish. The verb Ser allows you to speak about yourself and others. Learning how to conjugate the verb ser in the present tense will enable you to talk about yourself and others regarding when you want to say, “I am … You are … He is … etc.”
The conjugation of the verb Ser are:
| English | Spanish | Ser Conjugation |
| I am | Yo | soy |
| You are | tú | eres |
| He/she/you (formal) is | Él/Ella/Usted | es |
| We are | Nosotros/Nosotras | somos |
| You (Spain) are | Vosotros/Vosotras | sois |
| They/They/You are | Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | son |
How to Conjugate Ser video lesson
We may receive a small commission if you purchase something through the links at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my Dreams.
Immersion learning is the most effective way to learn a new language. That’s why Rosetta Stone uses this method to immerse learners in the Spanish language from the very beginning.
Rosetta Stone uses a variety of techniques to help learners master Spanish, including:
- Pictures: Learners are shown pictures of objects and actions, and then asked to identify them in Spanish. This helps learners to associate words with real-world concepts.
- Audio: Learners listen to native speakers pronouncing words and phrases in Spanish. This helps learners to develop their listening comprehension skills.
- Interactive activities: Learners complete various interactive activities, such as matching words to pictures, filling in blanks, and translating sentences. These activities help learners to practice their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills.
I believe that these techniques are essential for students to master Spanish. I use them in my lessons, and I have seen their effectiveness.
Right now, Rosetta Stone is offering a special deal on their Spanish language program. You can get a lifetime subscription for just $179! That’s a savings of over 60%!Don’t miss this opportunity to learn Spanish like a native with Rosetta Stone! Click here to learn more and claim your discount today
How to Conjugate Ser
In simple terms, it means that we will change a verb to match the person who is performing the action.
Ser conjugation tips and tricks
If you memorize the subject pronouns, then you only have to learn: soy, eres, es, somos, sois, son. You will automatically know what subject pronoun they match.
You may choose to omit the subject pronoun for Yo and Tú. You may omit the subject pronoun once you have established who we are talking about for the other subject pronouns.
Make up a small chant to help you memorize: soy, eres, es, somos, sois, son.
Deep Dive: Ser conjugations
Yo (I) → soy
“Yo soy” means: I am.
Since the conjugation for yo is only for that subject pronoun, we could omit the subject pronoun and simply say “soy” to say I am.
Let’s look at an example:
The word “bajo(a)” means short. Remember that most adjectives have gender.
To say I am short, I could say:
Yo soy baja.
Or
Soy baja.
Tú (you informal) → eres
Tú eres means: You are.
In this case, you can also omit the subject pronoun and simply say “eres” to say you are.
Example:
The word inteligente means intelligent.
To say you are intelligent you could say:
Tú eres inteligente.
Or
Eres inteligente.
Èl/Ella/ Ud (you formal) → es
Since él/ella/Ud. share the same conjugation, and it is essential to use the subject pronoun to make sure we know who we are all talking about. Once the subject is established, you don’t have to continue using the subject pronoun.
Èl es means: He is
Ella es means: She is
Ud. es means: You (formal) are
Example:
Èl es bajo. = He is short.
Ella es inteligente. = She is intelligent
Ud. es inteligente. = You (formal) are intelligent.
Nosotros (nosotras) → somos
Nosotros somos means: We are. Remember that nosotros includes you, and it is about a group you are part of in which is mixed or ALL males.
Nosotras somos means: We are. Remember that nosotras includes you, and it is about a group you are part of in which ALL are females.
The conjugation for nosotros(as) DOES NOT change in gender. Verbs do not change.
Example:
The word alto(a) means tall.
Nosotros somos altos.
Nosotras somos altas.
The subject pronoun can be omitted. You could also say
Somos altos.
Vosotros (vosotras) → sois
Vosotros sois means: You (plural in Spain) are. Vosotros and vosotras are used when talking TO a group of people. Do remember that we have to think about gender here.
Vosotras sois means: You (plural in Spain) are. Vosotras is used when talking TO a group of ONLY females.
The subject pronoun can also be omitted.
Example:
Vosotros sois inteligentes.
Vosotras sois inteligentes.
Sois inteligentes.
Ellos/Ellas/Uds. → son
Since ellos/ellas/Uds. share the same conjugation, and it is vital to use the subject pronoun to make sure we know who we are all talking about. Once the subject is established, you don’t have to continue using the subject pronoun.
Ellos son means: They are. Remember that Ellos is used to talk ABOUT a group of males OR a mixed group of males and females (regardless of the ratio).
Ellas son means: They are. Remember that Ellas is used to talk ABOUT a group of females ONLY.
Uds. son means: You (plural) are.
Examples:
Ellos son altos.
Ellas son bajas.
Uds. son inteligentes.
Free handouts (Click to download from Google drive)
