Ser and Estar with Adjectives

Ser and Estar with Adjectives

A number of common adjectives vary considerably in meaning when used with ser or estar:

Characteristic Condition (emotional, physical)

María es mala. - characteristic
Mary is bad (a bad person).

María está mala. - condition
Mary is not well (she’s ill).

Juan es aburrido. - characteristic
John is boring.

Juan está aburrido. - condition
John is bored.

Rafael es listo. - characteristic
Rafael is clever.

Rafael está listo. - condition
Rafael is ready.

So, it is quite possible to use both ser and estar with the same adjective but there will be a slight difference in meaning or emphasis. Consider ser alto vs. estar alto: ser is used to indicate the norm, a usual or expected characteristic, whereas estar suggests a change:

Mi hija es muy alta; mide casi seis pies.
My daughter is very tall. She’s nearly six feet.

Mira, pero la niña está altísima.
Wow, look how tall the little girl is now/Look how tall she’s grown.

Ramón es muy guapo; podría ser modelo.
Ramon is very handsome; he could be a model.

Oye, José, luces bien. Estás muy guapo esta noche.
Hey, José, you look good. You’re very handsome tonight.

La muchacha es pálida.
The girl is pale (has pale skin).

La muchacha está pálida.
The girl is pale (looks pale today).

When speaking of colors, it is more usual to use ser but when color refers to a transitory condition rather than a constant quality, then estar is appropriate:

Estas manzanas son verdes.
These apples are green (they are of a green variety, — e.g. Granny Smiths).

Estas manzanas están verdes.
These apples are green/unripe/not ready to eat.

Mi carro es rojo. Me gusta el color.
My car is red. I like the color.

Ten cuidado, la luz está roja.
Watch out, the light is (on) red.