The Spanish verb "ser" means "to be (permanent)" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "ser" across all 5 tenses. New to Spanish verbs? Start with the Spanish verb guide.
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Lexi's Memory Hack
SER is a time traveller — it never follows rules. Remember "SOY, ERES, ES" by chanting: "So-y Er-es Es, it does what it wants!" The whole present tense is its own thing.
Ser and ir share the same preterite forms (fui, fuiste, fue…). Context always makes it clear which one you mean.
How to Conjugate "ser" in the Present Tense
Presente de indicativo Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | soy |
| tú | you (informal) | eres |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | es |
| nosotros | we | somos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | sois |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | son |
Él es un doctor famoso.
say it EHL EHS
He is a famous doctor.
In other languages
- French Il est un médecin célèbre.
- German Er ist ein berühmter Arzt.
- Dutch Hij is een beroemde dokter.
Yo soy estudiante de español.
say it YOH SOY
I am a Spanish student.
In other languages
- French Je suis un étudiant espagnol.
- German Ich bin ein spanischer Student.
- Dutch Ik ben een Spaanse student.
Quiz yourself on "ser"
Five quick questions on the present, past (completed) and past (ongoing) tenses.
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How to Conjugate "ser" in the Past (completed) Tense
Pretérito perfecto simple Actions that finished in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | fui |
| tú | you (informal) | fuiste |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | fue |
| nosotros | we | fuimos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | fuisteis |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | fueron |
Él fue el ganador del juego.
say it el FUE el ga-na-DOR del HWEH-goh
He was the winner of the game.
In other languages
- French Il était le gagnant du jeu.
- German Er war der Gewinner des Spiels.
- Dutch Hij was de winnaar van het spel.
Yo fui estudiante el año pasado.
say it yo FUI es-tu-DYAN-teh el AH-nyoh pa-SAH-doh
I was a student last year.
In other languages
- French J'étais étudiant l'année dernière.
- German Ich war letztes Jahr Student.
- Dutch Ik was vorig jaar student.
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Try VerbPal FreeHow to Conjugate "ser" in the Past (ongoing) Tense
Pretérito imperfecto Actions that were ongoing in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | era |
| tú | you (informal) | eras |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | era |
| nosotros | we | éramos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | erais |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | eran |
Él era mi mejor amigo.
say it EHL EH-rah
He was my best friend.
In other languages
- French Il était mon meilleur ami.
- German Er war mon bester Freund.
- Dutch Hij was mijn beste vriend.
Yo era un niño muy feliz.
say it YOH EH-rah
I was a very happy child.
In other languages
- French J'étais un enfant très heureux.
- German Ich war ein sehr glückliches Kind.
- Dutch Ik was een heel gelukkig kind.
How to Conjugate "ser" in the Future Tense
Futuro simple Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | seré |
| tú | you (informal) | serás |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | será |
| nosotros | we | seremos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | seréis |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | serán |
Él será el nuevo jefe.
say it ehl seh-RAH
He will be the new boss.
In other languages
- French Il sera le nouveau patron.
- German Er wird der neue Chef sein.
- Dutch Hij zal de nieuwe baas zijn.
Yo seré un buen doctor.
say it yo seh-REH
I will be a good doctor.
In other languages
- French Je serai un bon médecin.
- German Ich werde ein guter Arzt sein.
- Dutch Ik zal een goede dokter zijn.
How to Conjugate "ser" in the Would (conditional) Tense
Condicional simple Hypothetical actions| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | sería |
| tú | you (informal) | serías |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | sería |
| nosotros | we | seríamos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | seríais |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | serían |
Él sería el mejor amigo.
say it el seh-REE-ah
He would be the best friend.
In other languages
- French Il serait le meilleur ami.
- German Er wäre der beste Freund.
- Dutch Hij zou de beste vriend zijn.
Yo sería muy feliz aquí.
say it yo seh-REE-ah
I would be very happy here.
In other languages
- French Je serais très heureux ici.
- German Ich wäre hier sehr glücklich.
- Dutch Ik zou hier erg gelukkig zijn.
Frequently Asked Questions About "ser"
Is "ser" regular or irregular in Spanish?
"Ser" is an irregular Spanish verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "ser" mean in English?
The Spanish verb "ser" means "to be (permanent)" in English.
How do you conjugate "ser" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Presente de indicativo): yo → soy, tú → eres, él/ella/usted → es, nosotros → somos, vosotros → sois, ellos/ustedes → son.
How many tenses does "ser" have in Spanish?
"Ser" is conjugated across 5 tenses in Spanish: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).
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