be

estar

Sirve para decir dónde está alguien o algo.

En inglés sencillo: Used to say where someone or something is.

• The dog is outside.
• Are your shoes under the bed?
• We were at home all evening.

Cómo se usa: be + place expression (The keys are on the shelf.)

Expresiones frecuentes: be at home, be in bed, be near something

ser, estar

Sirve para describir cómo es o cómo está alguien o algo.

En inglés sencillo: Used to say what someone or something is like.

• The sky is blue.
• Are you tired?
• The children were very quiet during the film.

Cómo se usa: be + adjective (The water is cold.); be + descriptive prepositional phrase (They are in a good mood.)

Expresiones frecuentes: be happy, be very tired, be in trouble

estar

Delante de un verbo terminado en -ing, indica que una acción está en desarrollo.

En inglés sencillo: Used before a verb ending in -ing to show that an action is continuing.

• She is sleeping.
• Were you listening to me?
• They will be working all afternoon.

Cómo se usa: be + verb-ing (We are waiting for the bus.)

Expresiones frecuentes: be working, be waiting, be reading

ser, tener lugar

Sirve para decir cuándo o dónde tiene lugar un evento.

En inglés sencillo: Used to say when or where an event happens.

• The party is tomorrow.
• When was the meeting?
• The next match will be at our school.

Cómo se usa: be + time or place expression (The concert is in the park on Sunday.)

Sinónimos: happen, take place

Expresiones frecuentes: be on Monday, be at noon, be next week

ir, visitar

En la forma «been» con have o has, indica que alguien visitó un lugar y regresó.

En inglés sencillo: Used with have or has to say someone visited a place and returned.

• I have been to Spain.
• Have you ever been to this museum?
• She had been to London twice before she moved there.

Cómo se usa: have/has been to + place (Have you been to Rome?)

Sinónimos: visit

Expresiones frecuentes: be to Paris, be to London

hacer de, interpretar

Actuar como otra persona o un animal, normalmente en un juego o una obra de teatro.

En inglés sencillo: To act like another person or animal, often in a game or play.

• You be the king.
• She is being a cat in our game.
• I was the shopkeeper when we played yesterday.

Cómo se usa: be + person or animal role (You can be the doctor, and I will be the patient.)

Sinónimos: play, pretend to be

Expresiones frecuentes: be a dog, be the teacher, be a monster