in spanish what is the difference between esta and es?

Question

e.g. can i not just say something like mi pueblo es en el centro instead of esta??

Answer 1

Whole chapters are written on this! When talking of place/position, you have to use the verb estar.

Answer 2

A little extra clarification... in most cases, the verb "ser" is used for permanent or long term conditions like your height, your hair color, your nationality, etc. Examples: "Soy americana", "Mi pelo es *****".

"Estar" on the other hand, is used for location and conditions that change rapidly like moods. Examples: "Estoy feliz", and "El banco está al lado del supermercado."

Beware... sometimes which verb you choose makes all the difference. For example, "Estoy aburrido/a", which means "I'm bored" and "Soy aburrido/a" which means "I'm boring."

Oddly enough, death, which seems like a fairly permanent condition to me, is used with "estar". As in: "Está muerto, Jim" (He's dead, Jim).

Answer 3

When you say "está", you are talking about the position of the subject. e.g Ella está en la casa = She is at home

"Está" is also used for the continous present:
e.g.: Ella está durmiendo = She is sleeping

When you say "es" you are talking about how the subject is.

Ella es bonita = She is pretty

Answer 4

ésta= he/she/it is ("to be" position, from the verb estar, not to be confused with ser "to be" description) esta= this (feminine) 1. ella *ésta* (he/she/it) en su coche-she is in her car 2. *esta* casa (has to agree, casa is feminine so it is esta, rather than este) es la casa de mi abuela-this is my granny's house (or combining the two) 3. *esta* casa *ésta* en francia-this house is in france