español · B2 · verb · 4 minutes
Estar in the present subjunctive
Frame locations and states as pending, doubted, or evaluated.
Understand the choice
Use esté forms when a location or state is desired, evaluated, doubted, pending, or emotionally framed. The present subjunctive is built from estoy’s irregular stem est- plus opposite-vowel endings.
Core rule: Estar keeps written accents in most present-subjunctive forms.
Notice it in context
Me alegra que estés aquí y que todos estén bien.
I am glad that you are here and that everyone is well.
Estar keeps written accents in most present-subjunctive forms.
Cuando estemos listos, te avisaremos.
When we are ready, we will let you know.
A pending future time clause takes estemos.
No creo que esté abierto.
I do not think it is open.
Negated belief triggers esté.
What to remember
- Esté, estés, and estén carry accents; estemos does not, while estéis has its own ending accent.
- Future time clauses use subjunctive when the event has not happened: cuando estemos listos.
Common trap: Do not write este without an accent when it is the verb: este is a demonstrative, while esté is a subjunctive form of estar.