What Is the Word Are in Spanish? | Pick The Right “Be” Fast

In Spanish, “are” most often becomes son or están, chosen by meaning: identity (ser) vs. state or location (estar).

If you’ve ever typed “are in Spanish” and got hit with a wall of grammar, you’re not alone. Spanish doesn’t hand you one tidy replacement for “are.” It gives you a small set of choices, and each one fits a different job.

The good news: you don’t need to memorize a hundred rules to get this right. You just need a simple habit—pause for half a second and ask what “are” is doing in your sentence. Is it naming what something is? Is it describing how something is right now? Is it saying where something is? Is it pointing out that something exists?

Once you spot the job, the Spanish word falls into place.

Why “are” Has More Than One Spanish Word

English uses “are” for many roles: identity (“They are doctors”), condition (“They are tired”), location (“They are in Madrid”), and even existence (“There are three seats”). Spanish splits those roles across different verbs and forms.

Most of the time, you’ll pick from:

• Ser (often son for “they are”): who/what something is, what it’s made of, time/date, many descriptions that feel like “what it is like.”
• Estar (often están for “they are”): where something is, how something is right now, and “to be” used with the -ing form in Spanish.
• Haber (often hay for “there are”): existence, not identity.

That’s the whole game. Next, let’s make it practical with quick patterns you can reuse.

What Is the Word Are in Spanish? For Real-Life Sentences

Here’s a fast way to decide, using plain questions you can ask yourself as you write or speak.

When “are” Means Identity Or Definition

If “are” is telling you what something is, Spanish usually wants ser. With “they,” that becomes son.

• They are students. → Ellos son estudiantes.
• These are my keys. → Estas son mis llaves.
• Those are lies. → Esas son mentiras.

A clean test: can you swap “are” with “equal”? If it still makes sense (“They equal students”), you’re near ser.

When “are” Means State, Feeling, Or Location

If “are” is describing a condition right now or a location, Spanish usually wants estar. With “they,” that becomes están.

• They are tired. → Ellos están cansados.
• The books are on the table. → Los libros están en la mesa.
• We are ready. → Estamos listos.

A clean test: can you swap “are” with “are located” or “feel”? If yes, you’re near estar.

When “are” Is “There Are”

English says “There are…” Spanish usually says hay. It doesn’t change for singular vs. plural in everyday use.

• There are three rooms. → Hay tres habitaciones.
• There are many options. → Hay muchas opciones.
• Are there tickets? → ¿Hay entradas?

Notice what’s missing: Spanish isn’t saying “they are.” It’s just stating that something exists.

Match “are” To The Person You Mean

“Are” changes in English depending on who you’re talking about (“you are,” “we are,” “they are”). Spanish changes too, and it changes more, since Spanish has different “you” choices.

Here’s the core idea: you first choose the verb family (ser, estar, or hay), then you choose the form that matches the subject.

Ser Forms That Often Translate “are”

• You are (tú). → eres
• You are (usted). → es
• We are. → somos
• They are. → son
• You all are (ustedes). → son
• You all are (vosotros, Spain). → sois

Estar Forms That Often Translate “are”

• You are (tú). → estás
• You are (usted). → está
• We are. → estamos
• They are. → están
• You all are (ustedes). → están
• You all are (vosotros, Spain). → estáis

If you want an official reference point for how Spanish treats these verbs, the Real Academia Española dictionary entries are a solid baseline for ser in the DLE and estar in the DLE.

Common “are” Traps That Trip Up Learners

Some English sentences feel simple, then Spanish makes you choose. These are the spots where a tiny tweak changes the verb.

“You Are” Has Two Common Spanish Versions

English “you” can be informal or formal, singular or plural. Spanish shows that choice in the verb. Two common options:

• Tú (informal): eres / estás
• Usted (formal): es / está

That means “You are nice” could be Eres amable (talking about who someone is like), while “You are ready” could be Estás listo/lista (talking about a current state).

Age Uses “Have,” Not “Are”

In English, you say “I am 20.” In Spanish, the everyday phrasing is “I have 20 years.”

• I am 20. → Tengo 20 años.
• We are 30. → Tenemos 30 años.

This is one of those cases where translating “are” word-for-word will sound off.

Location Almost Always Uses “Estar”

If “are” is about where something is, Spanish leans to estar.

• The bathroom is near the kitchen. → El baño está cerca de la cocina.
• My friends are in town. → Mis amigos están en la ciudad.

Some people learn a shortcut: “DOCTOR” for ser and “PLACE” for estar. Shortcuts can help early, but real sentences do more than fit a mnemonic. A clearer way is to ask: identity or state/location?

Table 1: Fast Spanish Replacements For “Are” By Meaning

This table is meant to be a one-glance picker. Look at the English idea first, then grab the Spanish pattern.

What “Are” Means In English	Spanish Pick	Copyable Pattern
Identity / job / label	ser	Son + noun (They are nurses → Son enfermeros)
Origin / time / date	ser	Somos de… / Son las…
General trait	ser	Eres + adjective (You are kind → Eres amable)
Feeling / condition right now	estar	Están + adjective (They are tired → Están cansados)
Location	estar	Está/Están en… (They are in Lima → Están en Lima)
Ongoing action (“are” + -ing)	estar + gerund	Están + verb-ando/-iendo (They are eating → Están comiendo)
Existence (“There are…”)	hay	Hay + quantity + noun (There are two → Hay dos)
Passive voice (“are” + past participle)	ser or estar	Son/Están + participle (Picked by meaning)

Ser Vs. Estar: A Clear Way To Choose Without Guessing

A lot of explanations lean on abstract labels. You can keep it simpler.

Use “Ser” For What Something Is

If you’re naming, defining, classifying, or pointing to a stable trait, ser tends to fit.

• They are my neighbors. → Son mis vecinos.
• We are honest. → Somos honestos.
• This is a problem. → Esto es un problema.

Want a trustworthy overview straight from a Spanish-language authority? Instituto Cervantes has a clear learner-facing explanation of ser and estar usage that matches what you’ll hear in daily Spanish.

Use “Estar” For How Something Is Right Now, Or Where It Is

If the sentence is about condition, mood, readiness, or location, estar tends to fit.

• The coffee is cold. → El café está frío.
• We are busy. → Estamos ocupados.
• The store is open. → La tienda está abierta.

Some Adjectives Shift Meaning With “Ser” Vs. “Estar”

This is where Spanish gets spicy. The adjective stays the same, but the message changes.

• Es listo. → He is clever.
• Está listo. → He is ready.
• Es aburrido. → He is boring.
• Está aburrido. → He is bored.

So when you see “are + adjective,” don’t jump straight to a verb. Check what the adjective means in that moment.

When “Are” Acts Like A Helper Verb

English uses “are” to build other verb forms. Spanish often swaps the whole structure.

“Are” + -ing (Present Continuous)

English: “They are eating.” Spanish often uses estar + gerund.

• They are eating. → Están comiendo.
• We are waiting. → Estamos esperando.

Spanish also uses the simple present a lot where English uses “are + -ing.”

• What are you doing? → ¿Qué haces? or ¿Qué estás haciendo?

“Are” + Past Participle (Passive Voice)

English: “The doors are closed.” Spanish can express this two ways, and the choice changes the feel.

• Las puertas están cerradas. → The doors are closed (state: closed right now).
• Las puertas son cerradas a las 9. → The doors are closed at 9 (routine/action done to them).

If you want a careful, official note about tricky verb choices and common doubts, the RAE’s Diccionario Panhispánico de Dudas is a reliable place to double-check usage when a sentence feels slippery.

Table 2: Quick Checks Before You Translate “Are”

Use this as a mini decision filter. Read the question in the first column, then follow the Spanish move.

Ask Yourself This	Most Likely Spanish Choice	Mini Example
Am I naming what it is?	ser (often son)	They are engineers → Son ingenieros
Am I saying where it is?	estar (often están)	They are in class → Están en clase
Am I describing a current state?	estar	We are fine → Estamos bien
Am I saying something exists?	hay	There are two → Hay dos
Is “are” building an -ing action?	estar + gerund	They are talking → Están hablando
Is it a passive sentence about a routine?	ser + participle	They are paid weekly → Son pagados semanalmente
Is it a passive sentence about a state now?	estar + participle	The seats are taken → Los asientos están ocupados

Mini Sentence Pack You Can Copy

If you just want working sentences you can reuse, this section is for you. Swap nouns and adjectives and you’ll cover a lot of daily talk.

Identity With “Ser”

• We are friends. → Somos amigos.
• They are my parents. → Son mis padres.
• You are my boss. → Eres mi jefe. / Usted es mi jefe.
• The problem is serious. → El problema es serio.

State Or Location With “Estar”

• I am at home. → Estoy en casa.
• They are outside. → Están afuera.
• You are late. → Estás tarde. / Usted está tarde.
• We are ready. → Estamos listos/listas.

Existence With “Hay”

• There are chairs. → Hay sillas.
• There are no excuses. → No hay excusas.
• Are there any questions? → ¿Hay preguntas?

Small Details That Make Your Spanish Sound Natural

These aren’t “rules for school.” They’re the little choices that keep you from sounding like a literal translation engine.

Spanish Often Drops The Subject

Spanish verbs carry the subject info, so you can often skip “we/they/you” once it’s clear.

• Somos de aquí. (We are from here.)
• Están en camino. (They are on the way.)

Adjective Agreement Matters

When you translate “are” into son or están, the adjective usually matches number and gender.

• They are tired (mixed group). → Están cansados.
• They are tired (all women). → Están cansadas.
• We are ready (women). → Estamos listas.

Questions Flip Word Order Less Than English

English leans on “Are you…?” Spanish can use punctuation and tone, and still keep the verb early.

• Are you okay? → ¿Estás bien?
• Are they from Chile? → ¿Son de Chile?
• Are there tickets? → ¿Hay entradas?

Put It All Together With A One-Line Test

If you only remember one thing, make it this:

• If “are” equals identity, pick ser (son/somos/eres).
• If “are” equals state or location, pick estar (están/estamos/estás).
• If “are” equals existence (“there are”), pick hay.

That’s enough to write clean Spanish in real conversations, texts, school work, travel, and work emails. When a sentence still feels tricky, you can check a trusted source, then come back and reuse the pattern that matches the meaning.