Dive into our comprehensive guide to conjugating estar, designed to make mastering Spanish verbs easier than ever.
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Covering every tense—from the simple present to the elusive subjunctive—we provide clear explanations and interactive tools to accelerate your fluency.
Table of Contents
- Learn Faster with Audio
- Introduction to Estar
- Indicative tenses of Estar
- Estar in the Indicative Present
- Estar in the Indicative Preterite
- Estar in the Indicative Imperfect
- Estar in the Indicative Present Continuous
- Estar in the Indicative Near Future
- Estar in the Indicative Future
- Estar in the Indicative Conditional
- Estar in the Indicative Present Perfect
- Estar in the Indicative Past Perfect
- Estar in the Indicative Future Perfect
- Estar in the Indicative Conditional Perfect
- Subjunctive tenses of Estar
- Imperative tenses of Estar
The Power of Audio: Master Spanish Conjugations with Ease
Tired of wrestling with Spanish verb conjugations? You’re not alone! Traditional methods often rely on rote memorization of written charts, leading to frustration and slow progress. But there’s a better way – one that’s easier, faster, and more in tune with how your brain naturally learns.
In this post, you’ll discover a unique approach that combines the power of visual and auditory learning. We provide complete conjugation charts for the verb, along with specially designed audio recordings that play the conjugations on a loop. This allows you to effortlessly absorb the patterns and rhythms of the language, embedding them directly into your memory.
Optimize Your Learning: A Step-by-Step Guide
Ready to experience the difference? Here’s how to maximize your learning with this page:
- Select Your Target: Choose the verb tense you want to master (e.g., present tense, preterite, imperfect).
- Engage Your Ears: Play the corresponding audio recording on a loop. Let the sounds of the conjugations wash over you.
- Activate Your Eyes: Simultaneously, follow along with the conjugation chart. This dual-sensory approach enhances your brain’s ability to encode and retain the information.
- Listen for the Flow: Continue listening until the conjugations feel like a natural, familiar melody. You’ll instinctively know when it “clicks.”
- Reinforce and Repeat: Revisit the audio and chart every few days to solidify the patterns in your long-term memory.
This method leverages your brain’s innate language learning capabilities, making memorization feel more like listening to a catchy song than a tedious study session.
With this approach, you’ll move beyond rote memorization to actually using conjugations confidently in real conversations. Say goodbye to frustration and hello to a smarter, more intuitive way to learn Spanish. Let’s begin!
Introduction to Estar
“Estar” is a Spanish verb meaning “to be.” It’s one of the two main “to be” verbs in Spanish (along with “ser”) and is used to describe temporary states, locations, and conditions.
Infinitive | Past Participle | Gerund |
---|---|---|
estar | estado | [not used] |
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Example Sentences:
- Past Participle
Ha estado enfermo. He has been sick.
Indicative tenses of Estar
The indicative mood in Spanish is all about reality. When you use an indicative tense, you’re stating a fact, making an observation, or describing an event you believe to be true. This mood has a wide range of tenses that allow you to express yourself across different time frames, from the past to the present and into the future.
Estar in the Indicative Present
The present indicative tense of estar (to be) is used to talk about actions happening now, habits, routines, and general truths.
For example: Estoy en la oficina. (I am at the office.)
Pronoun | Conjugation |
---|---|
Yo | estoy |
Tú | estás |
Él / Ella / Usted | está |
Nosotros / Nosotras | estamos |
Vosotros / Vosotras | estáis |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | están |
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The Indicative Present tense is also known as the Simple Present, Present Simple, Present Tense, or Present Indicative in English, and as Presente de Indicativo, Presente Simple, Tiempo Presente, or Indicativo Presente in Spanish.
Estar in the Indicative Preterite
The preterite tense of estar is used to talk about completed actions in the past. Think of it as the tense for actions that have a clear beginning and end.
For example: Estuve en casa todo el día. (I was at home all day.)
Pronoun | Conjugation |
---|---|
Yo | estuve |
Tú | estuviste |
Él / Ella / Usted | estuvo |
Nosotros / Nosotras | estuvimos |
Vosotros / Vosotras | estuvisteis |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | estuvieron |
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The Indicative Preterite tense is also known as the Simple Past, Preterite Simple, Preterite Tense, or Past Definite in English, and as Pretérito Indefinido, Pretérito Perfecto Simple, Pretérito Simple, or Tiempo Pasado in Spanish.
Estar in the Indicative Imperfect
The imperfect tense of estar takes us back to the past, but with a different perspective than the preterite. It describes actions that were ongoing or repeated in the past, with no specific end point.
For example, Estaba enfermo cuando me llamaste. (I was sick when you called me.)
Pronoun | Conjugation |
---|---|
Yo | estaba |
Tú | estabas |
Él / Ella / Usted | estaba |
Nosotros / Nosotras | estábamos |
Vosotros / Vosotras | estabais |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | estaban |
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The Indicative Imperfect tense is also known as the Imperfect Tense, Past Imperfect, or Imperfective Past in English, and as Pretérito Imperfecto, Imperfecto de Indicativo, or Tiempo Imperfecto in Spanish.
Estar in the Indicative Present Continuous
It’s important to note that estar is not used in the present continuous tense in Spanish. This is because estar itself is the auxiliary verb used to form the present continuous of other verbs (like “am/is/are” in English). It would be redundant and grammatically incorrect to say “estoy estando” as this would literally mean “I am being being.”
When describing states of being in Spanish, you would simply use estar in the present simple tense. For example:
Estoy ocupado últimamente. (I am busy lately.)
The present continuous construction in Spanish (estar + gerundio) is reserved for other verbs, where estar serves as the auxiliary verb. For example: estoy trabajando (I am working), estoy comiendo (I am eating), etc.
Estar in the Indicative Near Future
The near future tense of estar expresses actions that will happen in the very near future. It often emphasizes the speaker’s intention or certainty.
For example: Voy a estar en casa esta noche. (I am going to be at home tonight.)
Pronoun | Conjugation |
---|---|
Yo | voy a estar |
Tú | vas a estar |
Él / Ella / Usted | va a estar |
Nosotros / Nosotras | vamos a estar |
Vosotros / Vosotras | vais a estar |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | van a estar |
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The Indicative Near Future tense is also known as the Immediate Future, Simple Future (colloquial use), or Informal Future in English, and as Futuro Próximo, Futuro Cercano, or Ir a + Infinitivo in Spanish.
Estar in the Indicative Future
The future tense of estar expresses actions that will occur in the future. It’s a more formal way to talk about future plans or predictions.
For example: Estaré en la oficina mañana. (I will be at the office tomorrow.)
Pronoun | Conjugation |
---|---|
Yo | estaré |
Tú | estarás |
Él / Ella / Usted | estará |
Nosotros / Nosotras | estaremos |
Vosotros / Vosotras | estaréis |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | estarán |
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The Indicative Future tense is also known as the Simple Future, Future Simple, or Future Tense in English, and as Futuro Simple, Futuro de Indicativo, or Tiempo Futuro in Spanish.
Estar in the Indicative Conditional
The conditional tense of estar is used to talk about hypothetical situations or actions that would happen under certain conditions. It often translates to “would be” in English.
For example: Estaría en la playa ahora, pero tengo que trabajar. (I would be at the beach now, but I have to work.)
Pronoun | Conjugation |
---|---|
Yo | estaría |
Tú | estarías |
Él / Ella / Usted | estaría |
Nosotros / Nosotras | estaríamos |
Vosotros / Vosotras | estaríais |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | estarían |
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The Indicative Conditional tense is also known as the Conditional Tense, Present Conditional, or Simple Conditional in English, and as Condicional Simple, Condicional de Indicativo, or Tiempo Condicional in Spanish.
Estar in the Indicative Present Perfect
The present perfect tense of estar is used to describe actions that started in the past and continue to the present, or have a result that is relevant to the present.
For example: He estado enfermo toda la semana. (I have been sick all week.)
Pronoun | Conjugation |
---|---|
Yo | he estado |
Tú | has estado |
Él / Ella / Usted | ha estado |
Nosotros / Nosotras | hemos estado |
Vosotros / Vosotras | habéis estado |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | han estado |
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The Indicative Present Perfect tense is also known as the Present Perfect, Perfect Present, or Compound Past in English, and as Pretérito Perfecto Compuesto, Perfecto de Indicativo, or Presente Perfecto in Spanish.
Estar in the Indicative Past Perfect
The past perfect tense of estar is used to describe an action that happened before another action in the past.
For example: Había estado en Madrid antes de mudarme allí. (I had been in Madrid before moving there.)
Pronoun | Conjugation |
---|---|
Yo | había estado |
Tú | habías estado |
Él / Ella / Usted | había estado |
Nosotros / Nosotras | habíamos estado |
Vosotros / Vosotras | habíais estado |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | habían estado |
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The Indicative Past Perfect tense is also known as the Pluperfect, Past Perfect, or Compound Past Perfect in English, and as Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto, Pluscuamperfecto de Indicativo, or Pasado Perfecto in Spanish.
Estar in the Indicative Future Perfect
The future perfect tense of estar describes an action that will be completed before a specific point in the future.
For example: Habré estado casado por veinte años cuando llegue diciembre. (I will have been married for twenty years by December.)
Pronoun | Conjugation |
---|---|
Yo | habré estado |
Tú | habrás estado |
Él / Ella / Usted | habrá estado |
Nosotros / Nosotras | habremos estado |
Vosotros / Vosotras | habréis estado |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | habrán estado |
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The Indicative Future Perfect tense is also known as the Future Perfect or Compound Future in English, and as Futuro Perfecto, Perfecto de Futuro, or Futuro Compuesto in Spanish.
Estar in the Indicative Conditional Perfect
The conditional perfect of estar is used to talk about hypothetical situations in the past, something that would have happened if a different condition had been met. It often translates to “would have been” in English.
For example: Habría estado en la fiesta, pero estaba enfermo. (I would have been at the party, but I was sick.)
Pronoun | Conjugation |
---|---|
Yo | habría estado |
Tú | habrías estado |
Él / Ella / Usted | habría estado |
Nosotros / Nosotras | habríamos estado |
Vosotros / Vosotras | habríais estado |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | habrían estado |
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The Indicative Conditional Perfect tense is also known as the Perfect Conditional or Compound Conditional in English, and as Condicional Perfecto, Perfecto de Condicional, or Condicional Compuesto in Spanish.
Subjunctive tenses of Estar
The subjunctive mood in Spanish might seem a bit mysterious at first, but it’s all about expressing subjectivity. Instead of stating cold, hard facts, you use the subjunctive to talk about desires, doubts, emotions, and possibilities. Think of it as the mood of uncertainty, where things are wished for, doubted, or influenced by opinions and feelings.
Estar in the Present Subjunctive
The present subjunctive of estar is used to express wishes, doubts, emotions, and possibilities in the present or future. It often follows verbs or phrases that indicate subjectivity or uncertainty.
For example: Espero que estés bien. (I hope you are well.)
Pronoun | Conjugation |
---|---|
Yo | esté |
Tú | estés |
Él / Ella / Usted | esté |
Nosotros / Nosotras | estemos |
Vosotros / Vosotras | estéis |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | estén |
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The Subjunctive Present tense is also known as the Present Subjunctive or Simple Present Subjunctive in English, and as Presente de Subjuntivo or Subjuntivo Presente in Spanish.
Estar in the Imperfect Subjunctive
The imperfect subjunctive of estar is used to express wishes, doubts, emotions, and possibilities in the past, or in hypothetical situations. It often follows verbs or phrases that indicate subjectivity or uncertainty in the past tense.
For example: Dudaba que estuviera enfermo. (I doubted that he/she was sick.)
Pronoun | Conjugation |
---|---|
Yo | estuviera |
Tú | estuvieras |
Él / Ella / Usted | estuviera |
Nosotros / Nosotras | estuviéramos |
Vosotros / Vosotras | estuvierais |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | estuvieran |
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The Subjunctive Imperfect tense is also known as the Imperfect Subjunctive or Past Subjunctive in English, and as Pretérito Imperfecto de Subjuntivo, Imperfecto de Subjuntivo, or Subjuntivo Pasado in Spanish.
Estar in the Future Subjunctive
The future subjunctive is rarely used in modern Spanish, but it’s good to be aware of it! It expresses a hypothetical action in the future with a high degree of uncertainty.
For example: Si estuviere presente, lo saludaré. (If he/she should be present, I will greet him/her.)
You’ll likely encounter this tense more in literature or legal texts than in everyday conversation.
Pronoun | Conjugation |
---|---|
Yo | estuviere |
Tú | estuvieres |
Él / Ella / Usted | estuviere |
Nosotros / Nosotras | estuviéremos |
Vosotros / Vosotras | estuviereis |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | estuvieren |
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The Subjunctive Future tense is also known as the Future Subjunctive or Simple Future Subjunctive in English, and as Futuro de Subjuntivo or Subjuntivo Futuro in Spanish.
Estar in the Present Perfect Subjunctive
The present perfect subjunctive of estar is used to express actions that are completed in relation to the present or future, but with some element of subjectivity or uncertainty.
For example: Me alegra que hayas estado bien. (I’m glad that you have been well.)
Pronoun | Conjugation |
---|---|
Yo | haya estado |
Tú | hayas estado |
Él / Ella / Usted | haya estado |
Nosotros / Nosotras | hayamos estado |
Vosotros / Vosotras | hayáis estado |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | hayan estado |
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The Subjunctive Present Perfect tense is also known as the Perfect Subjunctive or Present Perfect Subjunctive in English, and as Pretérito Perfecto de Subjuntivo or Perfecto de Subjuntivo in Spanish.
Estar in the Past Perfect Subjunctive
The past perfect subjunctive of estar is used to express actions that were completed before another action in the past, but with some element of subjectivity or uncertainty.
For example: Dudaba que hubiera estado presente. (I doubted that he/she had been present.)
Pronoun | Conjugation |
---|---|
Yo | hubiera estado |
Tú | hubieras estado |
Él / Ella / Usted | hubiera estado |
Nosotros / Nosotras | hubiéramos estado |
Vosotros / Vosotras | hubierais estado |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | hubieran estado |
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The Subjunctive Past Perfect tense is also known as the Pluperfect Subjunctive, Past Perfect Subjunctive, or Compound Past Subjunctive in English, and as Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto de Subjuntivo or Pluscuamperfecto de Subjuntivo in Spanish.
Estar in the Future Perfect Subjunctive
Like the future subjunctive, the future perfect subjunctive is very rare in modern Spanish. It expresses a hypothetical action that will have been completed before a certain point in the future.
For example: Cuando hubiere estado preparado, te avisaré. (When I have been ready, I will let you know.)
It’s more likely to be found in legal documents or older literature than in everyday speech. Most speakers would use other tenses to express this idea.
Pronoun | Conjugation |
---|---|
Yo | hubiere estado |
Tú | hubieres estado |
Él / Ella / Usted | hubiere estado |
Nosotros / Nosotras | hubiéremos estado |
Vosotros / Vosotras | hubiereis estado |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | hubieren estado |
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The Subjunctive Future Perfect tense is also known as the Future Perfect Subjunctive or Compound Future Subjunctive in English, and as Futuro Perfecto de Subjuntivo or Perfecto de Futuro de Subjuntivo in Spanish.
Imperative tenses of Estar
The imperative mood in Spanish is all about getting things done! It’s the mood of commands, requests, and instructions. When you use the imperative, you’re telling someone to do something, offering advice, or even expressing a strong wish. Want to tell someone to be quiet, be careful, or be patient? The imperative is your go-to mood.
Estar in the Imperative Affirmative
The affirmative imperative of estar is used to give commands or instructions to be in a certain state or location.
For example: ¡Está tranquilo! (Be calm!)
Pronoun | Conjugation |
---|---|
Yo | — |
Tú | está |
Él / Ella / Usted | esté |
Nosotros / Nosotras | estemos |
Vosotros / Vosotras | estad |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | estén |
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The Imperative Affirmative tense is also known as the Positive Imperative or Affirmative Command in English, and as Imperativo Afirmativo or Mandato Afirmativo in Spanish.
Estar in the Imperative Negative
The negative imperative of estar is used to give commands or instructions not to be in a certain state or location.
For example: ¡No estés nervioso! (Don’t be nervous!)
Pronoun | Conjugation |
---|---|
Yo | — |
Tú | no estés |
Él / Ella / Usted | no esté |
Nosotros / Nosotras | no estemos |
Vosotros / Vosotras | no estéis |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | no estén |
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The Imperative Negative tense is also known as the Negative Imperative or Negative Command in English, and as Imperativo Negativo or Mandato Negativo in Spanish.