Spanish conjugation explanation
Estar stress marks
<p>Unlike regular verbs ending in <span style="font-style: italic;">-ar</span> (like
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/hablar/" title="Click to see conjugations for hablar" target="_blank">hablar</a>
), which typically stress the second-to-last syllable (the stem), the verb<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/estar/" title="Click to see conjugations for estar" target="_blank">estar</a>
is irregular because it places the stress on the <strong>last syllable</strong> (the ending) in many of its present tense forms.</p><p>According to Spanish
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/conjugationExplanation/spanish_rules_of_stress/" target="_blank">rules of stress</a>
, words ending in a vowel, <span style="font-style: italic;">-n</span>, or <span style="font-style: italic;">-s</span> normally stress the second-to-last syllable. Because specific forms of <span style="font-style: italic;">estar</span> break this rule by stressing the final syllable, they require a written accent mark (tilde) over the vowel.</p><div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Present Indicative</div>
<p>In the
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/14/" target="_blank">Present Indicative</a>
, accent marks are required for <span style="font-style: italic;">tú</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">él/ella/usted</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">vosotros</span>, and <span style="font-style: italic;">ellos/ellas/ustedes</span>.</p><p>Two forms do <strong>not</strong> take an accent:</p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;">Yo estoy</span> (irregular form ending in <span style="font-style: italic;">-y</span>)</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;">Nosotros estamos</span> (regular stress on the <span style="font-style: italic;">-a-</span>)</li>
</ul>
<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">
<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/14/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Presente</a>
<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
yo
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">estoy<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
tú
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">estás<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
él
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">está<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
nosotros
</span>estamos
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
vosotros
</span>estáis
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
ellos
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">están<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Present Subjunctive</div>
<p>This pattern of stressing the ending continues in the
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/19/" target="_blank">Present Subjunctive</a>
. All singular forms and the third-person plural require an accent mark.</p><div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">
<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/19/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Presente subjuntivo</a>
<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
yo
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">esté<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
tú
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">estés<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
él
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">esté<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
nosotros
</span>estemos
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
vosotros
</span>estéis
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
ellos
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">estén<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p>For more details on why subjunctive forms often carry accents, see the explanation on the
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/conjugationExplanation/spanish_subjunctive_accent_mark/" target="_blank">subjunctive accent mark</a>
.</p><div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Avoid Confusion: Verb vs. Demonstrative</div>
<p>The written accent is critical for distinguishing these verb forms from <strong>demonstratives</strong> (words like "this" or "these"). The verb <strong>estar</strong> stresses the <strong>end</strong> of the word, while demonstratives stress the <strong>beginning</strong>.</p>
<ul>
<li>
<div><strong>está</strong> (verb: "is") vs. <strong>esta</strong> (demonstrative: "this")</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Ella <span class="green_emphasis">está</span> en la oficina. (<span style="font-style: italic;">She <strong>is</strong> in the office.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="brown_emphasis">Esta</span> oficina es pequeña. (<span style="font-style: italic;"><strong>This</strong> office is small.</span>)</div>
</li>
<li>
<div><strong>estás</strong> (verb: "are") vs. <strong>estas</strong> (demonstrative: "these")</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">¿Por qué <span class="green_emphasis">estás</span> triste? (<span style="font-style: italic;">Why <strong>are</strong> you sad?</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Mira <span class="brown_emphasis">estas</span> fotos. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Look at <strong>these</strong> photos.</span>)</div>
</li>
<li>
<div><strong>esté</strong> (subjunctive verb) vs. <strong>este</strong> (demonstrative: "this")</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Espero que <span class="green_emphasis">esté</span> listo. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I hope he <strong>is</strong> ready.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="brown_emphasis">Este</span> libro no es mío. (<span style="font-style: italic;"><strong>This</strong> book is not mine.</span>)</div>
</li>
</ul>
<p>For a broader guide on using this verb correctly, check out the explanation on
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/conjugationExplanation/spanish_ser_estar/" target="_blank">Ser vs. Estar</a>
.</p>