After marking thousands of student assignments, these are the five ser/estar errors that repeat most.
Ser and estar generate more questions than any other topic — and more repeat errors.
1. Soy cansado instead of Estoy cansado
Tiredness is a temporary state and needs estar. Soy cansado suggests you are a tiresome person.
2. Using ser for location
El baño es aquí is wrong; it should be El baño está aquí. Location always takes estar, however permanent.
3. Estoy profesora instead of Soy profesora
A profession defines identity, so it takes ser.
4. Forgetting the adjectives that switch meaning
Es listo means clever; está listo means ready. DELE tests this pair constantly.
5. Están las tres instead of Son las tres
Telling the time always takes ser.
#ser-estar#common-mistakes#a1
