Ser Conjugation Chart & Full Tense Guide

The Spanish verb “ser” is one of the two Spanish verbs ‘to be.’ It is one of the most irregular verbs in the language and is used to describe essential characteristics, identities, and time.

I’m James, from Learn Spanish With James, and the host of the Learn Spanish With James Podcast.

Read on to discover every “ser” conjugation in the indicative, subjunctive, and imperative moods, including simple and compound tenses.

Present Tense 

When We Use The Present Tense in Spanish

In Spanish, the present tense serves multiple purposes. It is used to describe actions happening now, habitual or repeated actions, general truths, and future plans or intentions.

Additionally, it can express actions that are happening in the near future and indicate conditions or states that are currently true.

I have provided some examples of this below. 

Examples of Ser in the Present Tense

1. Yo soy estudiante. (I am a student.)
2. Tú eres mi mejor amigo. (You are my best friend.)
3. Él es doctor. (He is a doctor.)
4. Ella es muy inteligente. (She is very intelligent.)
5. Nosotros somos compañeros de clase. (We are classmates.)
6. Vosotros sois los ganadores. (You all are the winners.) [Note: “Vosotros/as” is used in Spain for the informal plural “you.“]
7. Ellos son hermanos. (They are brothers.)
8. Ustedes son muy amables. (You are very kind.) [Note: “Ustedes” is used for the formal or plural “you” in Latin America and for the plural “you” in Spain.]
9. Eso es una buena idea. (That is a good idea.)
10. Madrid es la capital de España. (Madrid is the capital of Spain.)

Preterite Tense 

When We Use The Preterite Tense in Spanish

The preterite tense in Spanish is used to describe actions that were completed in the past. It emphasises the completion of an action or event at a specific point in time.

The preterite is often used for actions that happened once or momentarily, events that occurred in a sequence, or to state the beginning or end of an action.

For example, “Spain was poor after the war” (España era pobre después de la guerra).

You’ll notice that each “ser” conjugation in the preterite tense is very different from the imperfect tense, which describes habitual past actions or actions without a defined endpoint. 

Examples of Ser the Preterite Tense

1. Yo fui el primero en llegar. (I was the first to arrive.)
2. Tú fuiste mi amigo cuando más te necesité. (You were my friend when I needed you the most.)
3. Él fue un gran líder para nuestro equipo. (He was a great leader for our team.)
4. Ella fue la mejor estudiante de la clase. (She was the best student in the class.)
5. Nosotros fuimos campeones el año pasado. (We were champions last year.)
6. Vosotros fuisteis invitados a la fiesta, ¿verdad? (You all were invited to the party, right?) 
7. Ellos fueron los primeros en terminar el proyecto. (They were the first to finish the project.)
8. Ustedes fueron seleccionados para la beca. (You were selected for the scholarship.) 
9. Ese día fue muy especial para todos nosotros. (That day was very special for all of us.)
10. La fiesta fue en mi casa el sábado pasado. (The party was at my house last Saturday.)

Imperfect Tense

When We Use The Imperfect Tense in Spanish

The imperfect tense in Spanish is used to describe past actions without focusing on their beginning or end, emphasizing their ongoing nature or habitual occurrence.

It’s often applied to actions that were repeated over time, background settings, or conditions existing in the past. 

Also, we can use this tense to describe people, situations, and time in the past, as well as to express politeness.

Examples of Ser in the Imperfect Tense

1. Yo era muy feliz en mi infancia. (I was very happy in my childhood.)
2. Tú eras el mejor jugador del equipo. (You were the best player on the team.)
3. Él era profesor antes de jubilarse. (He was a teacher before retiring.)
4. Ella era conocida por su generosidad. (She was known for her generosity.)
5. Nosotros éramos vecinos cuando éramos niños. (We were neighbors when we were children.)
6. Vosotros erais muy unidos en la universidad. (You all were very close in college.) 
7. Ellos eran muy felices juntos. (They were very happy together.)
8. Ustedes eran los más jóvenes del grupo. (You were the youngest in the group.) 
9. Era una noche oscura y tormentosa. (It was a dark and stormy night.)
10. Las clases eran muy interesantes el semestre pasado. (The classes were very interesting last semester.)

Future Tense 

When We Use The Future Tense in Spanish

Using “ser” in the future tense in Spanish is for expressing actions that will happen in the future or for making predictions.

For example, “I will be the first person to follow my dreams.” (Yo seré la primera persona en seguir mis sueños.)

Other examples are below, but be sure to check out the “ser” conjugation chart above too.

Examples of Ser in the Future Tense

1. Yo seré médico en unos años. (I will be a doctor in a few years.)
2. Tú serás un gran artista, estoy seguro. (You will be a great artist, I’m sure.)
3. Él será el próximo presidente de la compañía. (He will be the next president of the company.)
4. Ella será la encargada del proyecto. (She will be in charge of the project.)
5. Nosotros seremos los anfitriones de la reunión. (We will be the hosts of the meeting.)
6. Vosotros seréis invitados especiales en la ceremonia. (You all will be special guests at the ceremony.) 
7. Ellos serán padres muy pronto. (They will be parents very soon.)
8. Ustedes serán responsables de organizar el evento. (You will be responsible for organizing the event.) 
9. Será una sorpresa para todos. (It will be a surprise for everyone.)
10. El año que viene será mejor. (Next year will be better.)

Conditional Tense 

When We Use The Conditional Tense in Spanish

The conditional tense in Spanish is used to express what would happen under certain conditions or to describe hypothetical situations.

It’s also used for polite requests or to express a future action seen from a past perspective.

Note: You are very likely to come across this tense when you see the imperfect subjunctive tense. So, be sure to learn these two together!

Examples of Ser in the Conditional Tense

1. Yo sería feliz si ganara la lotería. (I would be happy if I won the lottery.)
2. Tú serías un buen líder si decidieras postularte. (You would be a good leader if you decided to run.)
3. Él sería más saludable si comiera mejor. (He would be healthier if he ate better.)
4. Ella sería famosa si publicara su libro. (She would be famous if she published her book.)
5. Nosotros seríamos ricos si invirtiéramos en esa empresa. (We would be rich if we invested in that company.)
6. Vosotros seríais invitados si vinierais a la ciudad. (You all would be invited if you came to the city.)
7. Ellos serían felices juntos si se dieran una oportunidad. (They would be happy together if they gave themselves a chance.)
8. Ustedes serían bienvenidos siempre en nuestra casa. (You would always be welcome at our house.) 
9. Sería una buena idea considerar esa propuesta. (It would be a good idea to consider that proposal.)
10. El concierto sería increíble si no se cancelara. (The concert would be incredible if it weren’t canceled.)

Pluperfect Tense 

When We Use The Pluperfect Tense in Spanish

The pluperfect tense in Spanish, also known as the past perfect, is used to talk about actions or conditions that had taken place before another action or condition in the past.

It is formed using the imperfect tense of “haber” followed by the past participle of the verb.

Examples of Ser in the Pluperfect Tense

1. Yo había sido el capitán del equipo antes de ese torneo. (I had been the captain of the team before that tournament.)
2. Tú habías sido muy buen estudiante en la secundaria. (You had been a very good student in high school.)
3. Él había sido un actor famoso antes de dedicarse a la dirección. (He had been a famous actor before dedicating himself to directing.)
4. Ella había sido la mejor amiga de mi hermana. (She had been my sister’s best friend.)
5. Nosotros habíamos sido vecinos durante años antes de mudarnos. (We had been neighbors for years before moving.)
6. Vosotros habíais sido los organizadores de la fiesta anual. (You all had been the organizers of the annual party.) 
7. Ellos habían sido felices hasta que ocurrió el accidente. (They had been happy until the accident happened.)
8. Ustedes habían sido informados sobre los cambios en el proyecto. (You had been informed about the changes in the project.) 
9. Antes de la guerra, este lugar había sido un paraíso. (Before the war, this place had been a paradise.)
10. Habían sido amigos por décadas antes de separarse. (They had been friends for decades before parting ways.)

Future Perfect Tense

When We Use The Future Perfect Tense in Spanish

The future perfect tense in Spanish is used to describe actions that will have been completed by a certain future point in time.

It is formed with the future tense of the auxiliary verb “haber” followed by the past participle of the verb, which is “sido“.

So, even thought this is a “ser” conjugation guide, you’ll need to learn how to conjugate “haber” too.

Examples of Ser in the Future Perfect Tense

1. Yo habré sido profesor por veinte años al finalizar este curso. (I will have been a teacher for twenty years by the end of this course.)
2. Tú habrás sido parte de esta empresa por una década cuando te jubiles. (You will have been part of this company for a decade when you retire.)
3. Él habrá sido presidente por dos términos al dejar el cargo. (He will have been president for two terms when he leaves office.)
4. Ella habrá sido mi amiga por treinta años el próximo mes. (She will have been my friend for thirty years next month.)
5. Nosotros habremos sido casados por cincuenta años el año que viene. (We will have been married for fifty years next year.)
6. Vosotros habréis sido vecinos nuestros por quince años en septiembre. (You all will have been our neighbors for fifteen years in September.) 
7. Ellos habrán sido los campeones reinantes por tres años consecutivos si ganan hoy. (They will have been the reigning champions for three consecutive years if they win today.)
8. Ustedes habrán sido residentes de esta ciudad por más de veinte años al final de este mes. (You will have been residents of this city for more than twenty years by the end of this month.) 
9. Para el año 2050, habrá sido cien años desde la fundación de la empresa. (By the year 2050, it will have been a hundred years since the company was founded.)
10. Para cuando vuelva, habréis sido promovidos, según los planes actuales. (By the time I return, you will have been promoted, according to current plans.)

Conditional Perfect Tense

When We Use The Conditional Perfect Tense in Spanish

The conditional perfect tense in Spanish is used to express actions that would have occurred in the past under certain conditions, often reflecting on hypothetical outcomes or speculating about events that didn’t happen.

For example, “I would have been a better person if I’d left that group of friends sooner”. (Habría sido una persona mejor si hubiera dejado ese grupo de amigos más pronto.)

As you can see in the “ser” conjugation chart above, and in the example sentences, we form the conditional perfect tense by using the auxiliary verb “haber”, followed by the past participle of the verb.

Examples of Ser in the Conditional Perfect Tense

1. Yo habría sido más feliz si hubiera viajado más. (I would have been happier if I had traveled more.)
2. Tú habrías sido un gran actor si te hubieras dedicado a ello. (You would have been a great actor if you had dedicated yourself to it.)
3. Él habría sido un buen médico, pero eligió otra carrera. (He would have been a good doctor, but he chose another career.)
4. Ella habría sido la vencedora si hubiera competido. (She would have been the winner if she had competed.)
5. Nosotros habríamos sido ricos si hubiéramos invertido en aquel entonces. (We would have been rich if we had invested back then.)
6. Vosotros habríais sido reconocidos mundialmente si hubierais lanzado ese producto. (You all would have been recognized worldwide if you had launched that product.) 
7. Ellos habrían sido felices juntos si las circunstancias hubieran sido diferentes. (They would have been happy together if the circumstances had been different.)
8. Ustedes habrían sido seleccionados para el equipo si hubieran asistido a las pruebas. (You would have been selected for the team if you had attended the tryouts.) 
9. Ese proyecto habría sido un éxito si hubiéramos tenido más recursos. (That project would have been a success if we had had more resources.)
10. La fiesta habría sido más divertida si todos hubieran podido venir. (The party would have been more fun if everyone could have come.)

Present Subjunctive

When We Use The Present Subjunctive in Spanish

The present subjunctive in Spanish is used to express wishes, doubts, the unknown, the abstract, and emotions.

It’s a mood that reflects how the speaker feels about the action rather than indicating when the action occurs.

I won’t go into detail now, but this guide to Spanish verb tenses provides more information about the Spanish subjunctive.

Examples of Ser in the Present Subjunctive Tense

1. Es importante que yo sea puntual. (It’s important that I be punctual.)
2. Quiero que tú seas mi amigo. (I want you to be my friend.)
3. Es necesario que él sea honesto. (It’s necessary that he be honest.)
4. Espero que ella sea feliz. (I hope that she is happy.)
5. Deseamos que nosotros seamos exitosos. (We wish that we are successful.)
6. Prefiero que vosotros seáis parte del equipo. (I prefer that you all be part of the team.) 
7. Es bueno que ellos sean respetuosos. (It’s good that they be respectful.)
8. Quiero que ustedes sean parte de este proyecto. (I want you to be part of this project.) 
9. Es posible que mañana sea un día soleado. (It’s possible that tomorrow is a sunny day.)
10. Espero que esto sea lo correcto. (I hope this is the right thing.)

Imperfect Subjunctive

When We Use The Imperfect Subjunctive in Spanish

The imperfect subjunctive in Spanish is used for expressing wishes, recommendations, or hypothetical situations in the past.

It often follows certain expressions and conjunctions, and is used in if-clauses that express conditions that are contrary to fact or unlikely to happen.

Again, this is complex and requires more explanations. But be sure to check out this guide to the imperfect subjunctive, which provides use cases and context. 

Examples of Ser in the Imperfect Subjunctive Tense

1. Quería que yo fuera más paciente. (I wanted me to be more patient.)
2. Te sugerí que tú fueras el líder del grupo. (I suggested you be the group leader.)
3. Era importante que él fuera puntual. (It was important that he be punctual.)
4. Deseaba que ella fuera mi amiga para poder hablar con ella. (I wished she were my friend so I could talk to her.)
5. Pedíamos que nosotros fuéramos tratados con justicia. (We asked that we be treated fairly.)
6. Preferías que vosotros fuerais incluidos en la lista. (You preferred that you all be included on the list.) 
7. Querían que ellos fueran felices. (They wanted them to be happy.)
8. Era necesario que ustedes fueran más comprensivos. (It was necessary that you be more understanding.)
9. Si yo fuera rico, viajaría por el mundo. (If I were rich, I would travel the world.)
10. Si ella fuera la presidenta, cambiaría la ley. (If she were the president, she would change the law.)

Affirmative Imperative 

When We Use The Affirmative Imperative

The affirmative imperative in Spanish is used to give positive commands or instructions, telling someone to do something. It’s used for direct requests, orders, or encouragement.

Examples of Ser in the Affirmative Imperative

1. Sé amable con todos. Recuerda lo que te enseñe. (Be kind to everyone. Remember what I taught you.)
2. Sé puntual en la cita. Es importante que pidamos disculpas al médico. (Be punctual for the appointment. It’s important we apologize to the doctor.)
3. Sé sincero contigo mismo. (Be honest with yourself.)

Negative Imperative

When We Use The Negative Imperative

The negative imperative in Spanish is used to give commands or instructions in a negative form, telling someone not to do something. 

Examples of this are below with each “ser” conjugation in the negative imperative form.

Examples of Ser in the Negative Imperative

1. No seas impaciente. (Don’t be impatient.)
2. No seas egoísta. Ofrece tu tiempo libre a los demás. (Don’t be selfish. Offer your free time to others.)
3. No seas grosero con los demás. (Don’t be rude to others.)

Online Spanish Courses & Grammar Courses

For a full list of Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Courses, check out this full list of online Spanish courses. 

I put this list together myself, and it comprises a mixture of courses that offer Spanish grammar practice for all levels, Spanish conjugation guides, conversational practice, listening and writing exercises in Spanish, free Spanish courses, and a whole lot more. 

The fastest way to learn Spanish is to test a mixture of Spanish resources and choose the course that coincides most with your learning style. 

In addition to online Spanish courses, on this site you will find a wide range of Spanish podcasts, Spanish apps, Spanish YouTube channels, and both online and physical Spanish language schools.

Finally, be sure to check out this list of Spanish verb conjugations to perfect your Spanish grammar.