Skip to content

es

to be

verb ehs Less Common
Grammar & Structure

Usage Note

Es is the third-person singular present tense of ser (to be), one of two Spanish verbs for 'to be'. Ser is used for permanent or defining characteristics, identity, origin, and time, while estar covers temporary states and location — es médico (he is a doctor) vs está cansado (he is tired). As a standalone dictionary entry, learners should look up ser for full conjugation; es is the most frequent single word form of ser in running text.

Examples

"Ella es profesora de español."

Natural Translation

She is a Spanish teacher.

Literal Translation

She is teacher of Spanish

Free starter pack

Building your Spanish vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common Spanish words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Explore Spanish by topic