estar

Senses

1. 1.

   to be (location)

   to exist or be located in a place

2. 2.

   to be (state/condition)

   to exist in a temporary state or condition

3. 3.

   to be (with gerund)

   to be in the process of doing something

4. 4.

   to taste/to be (taste/appearance)

   to have a particular taste, flavor, or appearance

Examples

• "¿Dónde estás?"

  Where are you?

• "Estoy muy cansado hoy."

  I am very tired today.

• "Estamos estudiando para el examen."

  We are studying for the exam.

Usage

Estar expresses location and temporary states or conditions, contrasting with ser (permanent identity/essence). Use estar for progressive actions with gerunds (estar + -ando/-iendo). Common with adjectives describing how someone feels or how something appears at a moment in time.