ESTAR - the definitive reference

If you're already pretty comfortable with the differences between ESTAR & SER, then this is for you. It's incredibly useful to have a one-stop reference for all the different flavors of ESTAR. I always wanted one when I was learning everything but never found anything!

ESTAR in all it's glory

*Ordered by importance (use). Complete ESTAR conjugation.

Use estar to talk about temporary, passing things.

Present Tense of ESTAR

Eu estou atrasado. ➜ I'm late.

Onde você está? ➜ Where are you?

CONVERSATIONAL: estou ➜ tô | está ➜ tá

Eu tô tão feliz que vocês voltaram. ➜ I'm so happy that you (all) came back.

Você tá linda demais! ➜ You're too beautiful!

Preterit Imperfect of ESTAR

➜ eu estava (conversational = tava)
➜ você estava (conversational = tava)

This form is used so much when talking about almost anything that "was" in the past that most people assume it's with the "simple past" (preterit tense). But it's the imperfect version - the one that describes an action that was unfinished in the frame of the story. And that is just fine because ESTAR almost always gets used that way. For example:

Eu estava tentado te ligar ➜ I was trying to call you.

Você estava em casa ontem? ➜ Were you at home yesterday?

*You'll almost never use the simple past form of ESTAR ➜ eu estive, você esteve.

ESTAR in the Future Subjunctive

➜ eu estiver
➜ você estiver

Usually triggered by quando & se:

Quando eu chegar te ligo. ➜ I'll call you when I arrive.

Se voce tiver tempo me liga. ➜ Call me if you have time.

ESTAR in the Present Subjunctive

➜ eu esteja
➜ você esteja

Triggered by the usual things for this tense: espero que, quero que, importante que.

Quero que você esteja comigo. ➜ I want you to be with me.

Espero que ela esteja bem. ➜ I hope that she's well.

the Imperfect Subjunctive of ESTAR

➜ eu estivesse
➜ você estivesse

Always think of this tense as were to be:

Se eu estivesse lá, nada teria acontecido. ➜ If I were there nothing would have happened.

Rarely used forms of ESTAR

Adding these to be complete. If you're using any of these, you are getting into advanced territory with Portuguese!

The Conditional ESTAR

➜ eu estaria
➜ você estaria

Eu estaria trabalhando mas hoje é feriado. ➜ I would be working, but today is a holiday.

Você estaria rico se ganhasse a loteria. ➜ You’d be rich if you won the lottery

ESTAR in the Preterit

➜ eu estive
➜ você esteve
You only need to remember to use this verb form when talking about a place that you (or someone else) have been.

Eu já estive em Portugal. ➜ I've already been to Portugal.

Você esteve lá? ➜ Have you been there?

The Future ESTAR

➜ eu estarei
➜ você estará
Use the future tense to give a certain seriousness or certainty to the phrase, like this:

Eu estarei lá na hora marcada. ➜ I will be there at the set time

Você estará sempre comigo. ➜ You will always be with me.

The Past Participle of ESTAR

➜ estado
The past participle translates to been, like this:

Tenho estado muito ocupado. ➜ I've been really busy.

Você tem estado muito estressado esses dias. ➜ You've been stressed out lately.

The Gerund of ESTAR

➜ estando
This translates as, being or, having been.
You'll seriously impress a Brazilian if you can work this into the conversation. (It's rarely used verbally, but in written Portuguese you will; especially legal documents).

Seu filho foi diagnosticado como estando no espectro no ano passado. ➜ Her son was diagnosed as being on the spectrum last year.

ESTAR – the definitive reference