What is the present subjunctive of estar in Spanish?

The present subjunctive of estar is: esté, estés, esté, estemos, estéis, estén. Five out of six forms carry written accents on the final é. Used in dependent clauses after triggers expressing wish, doubt, emotion, or impersonal opinion.

Why does subjunctive estar need accents?

The accents mark the stressed syllable and distinguish the subjunctive forms from other Spanish words. Without the accent, esté would collide with este (this); estés has the same accent rule applied for consistency. Only estemos doesn't take an accent.

When do I use the subjunctive of estar vs. the indicative?

Use subjunctive after W.E.I.R.D.O. triggers (Wishes, Emotions, Impersonal expressions, Recommendations, Doubt, Ojalá). Use indicative for fact assertions (sé que está, es obvio que está). Wish + que = subjunctive; fact + que = indicative.

What's the difference between esté and sea in the subjunctive?

Both are subjunctive forms of to be, but estar covers location, temporary state, or condition (Quiero que esté tranquilo). Ser covers identity, characteristic, profession, time (Quiero que sea responsable). Pick the verb the same way as in the indicative, then conjugate.

How can I learn to use the subjunctive of estar naturally?

Subjunctive estar appears constantly in wishes about how someone is feeling, where they are, or whether they're ready. Parrot's short-form videos surface these emotional and conditional contexts repeatedly, so esté / estés / estén become automatic through real-life conversation exposure.

Spanish grammar · Intermediate

Subjunctive of Estar: All Forms with Examples

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Estar's present subjunctive uses regular endings but with mandatory accents on the yo, tú, él/ella, and ellos forms: esté, estés, esté, estemos, estéis, estén. The accents distinguish stressed syllables in the otherwise short forms.

Espero que estés bien.

I hope you're well.

What it is

Estar's present subjunctive is mostly regular but requires accents on most forms: esté, estés, esté, estemos, estéis, estén. The accents fall on the final é to mark the stressed syllable. Used in dependent clauses after triggers expressing wish, doubt, emotion, or impersonal opinion, just like all other subjunctives.

In Espero que estés bien (I hope you're well), estés is the tú subjunctive of estar. The hope trigger (esperar que) forces the subjunctive in the dependent clause.

How to spot it

Look for accents on the final é (esté, estés, estén) and the standard -emos / -éis pattern for nosotros and vosotros. The yo and él/ella forms are identical (esté), as in most subjunctive conjugations.

Espero que esté en casa. — I hope she's home.
Dudo que estén listos. — I doubt they're ready.
Es bueno que estemos juntos. — It's good we're together.

Estar covers location, temporary states, and ongoing conditions. The subjunctive of estar shows up in any wish or doubt about where someone is or how they're doing.

Subjunctive of Estar Quick Reference

Present subjunctive of estar, all six forms

Person	Form	Translation
yo	esté	(that) I be
tú	estés	(that) you be
él/ella/Ud.	esté	(that) he, she, you (formal) be
nosotros	estemos	(that) we be
vosotros	estéis	(that) you all be (Spain)
ellos/Uds.	estén	(that) they, you all be

Common Subjunctive of Estar Examples in Spanish

The subjunctive of estar shows up in wishes, doubts, and emotional reactions about location, condition, or ongoing state. Pair with the same W.E.I.R.D.O. triggers that govern all Spanish subjunctives.

Wishes About Location and Condition

Quiero que estés en casa esta noche.: I want you to be home tonight.
Espero que estén cómodos.: I hope they're comfortable.
Deseo que estemos juntos pronto.: I wish we were together soon.
Quiere que esté presente en la reunión.: She wants him to be present at the meeting.
Esperan que estés bien.: They hope you're well.

Wishes about where someone is or how they're doing all take the subjunctive of estar after wish triggers (querer que, esperar que, desear que).

Doubt About Status (dudar que)

Dudo que esté en su oficina.: I doubt he's in his office.
No creo que estés equivocado.: I don't think you're wrong.
Es posible que estemos perdidos.: It's possible we're lost.
No estoy seguro de que estén listos.: I'm not sure they're ready.
Puede que estés cansado.: You might be tired.

Doubt about location or current state takes the subjunctive of estar. The same rule applies: only triggers expressing uncertainty (dudar, no creer, es posible) force the mood shift.

Emotional Reactions (alegrarse de que, sentir que)

Me alegro de que estés bien.: I'm glad you're well.
Siento que estén pasando por eso.: I'm sorry they're going through that.
Me sorprende que estemos tan adelantados.: It surprises me that we're so far ahead.
Le encanta que esté aquí.: She loves that he's here.
Lamento que estés enfermo.: I'm sorry you're sick.

Emotional reactions (joy, sorrow, surprise) about someone's state or location trigger the subjunctive. Estar is the natural pairing for conditions and locations.

Impersonal Triggers

Es importante que estés tranquilo.: It's important that you stay calm.
Es necesario que estemos preparados.: It's necessary that we be prepared.
Es mejor que estés en silencio.: It's better that you be quiet.
Es raro que esté solo.: It's strange that he's alone.
Es bueno que estén juntos.: It's good that they're together.

Impersonal expressions (es importante que, es bueno que, es necesario que) all trigger the subjunctive when expressing opinions or recommendations.

How to Form the Subjunctive of Estar

Add Accents to the End

Estar's subjunctive endings carry written accents on most forms (esté, estés, esté, estéis, estén) to mark the stressed syllable. Without the accent, the words would be misread as different stressed forms or accidentally collide with other Spanish words. Nosotros (estemos) is the one form that doesn't take an accent.

esté (accent on é). estés (accent on é). estén (accent on é).

Accents are mandatory; their absence creates spelling errors.

Five out of six subjunctive forms of estar carry the accent. Only estemos doesn't.

Same Yo and Él/Ella Forms

Like nearly all subjunctive conjugations, yo and él/ella/usted share the same form: esté. Context tells you which person is meant.

Espero que (yo) esté listo. Espero que (él) esté listo.

I hope I'm ready. I hope he's ready.

Add explicit pronouns when distinguishing yo and él/ella matters.

Same Triggers as All Subjunctives

Estar in the subjunctive responds to the same W.E.I.R.D.O. triggers as any other verb: Wishes, Emotions, Impersonal expressions, Recommendations, Doubt, Ojalá. The mood change is automatic when any trigger from these categories appears in the main clause.

Quiero que esté. Espero que estemos. Es importante que estén.

Same triggers, same mood shift.

If the main clause has a W.E.I.R.D.O. trigger, the dependent verb (any verb, including estar) goes to subjunctive.

Estar vs. Ser in Subjunctive Choice

The ser vs. estar choice doesn't disappear in the subjunctive. Use esté for location, temporary state, or ongoing condition. Use sea for inherent traits, identity, definitions. Quiero que esté tranquilo (temporary state, estar) vs. Quiero que sea amable (inherent trait, ser).

Quiero que esté listo. Quiero que sea responsable.

I want him to be ready. I want him to be responsible.

Subjunctive doesn't change the ser/estar rules. Pick the right verb first, then conjugate.

Common Mistakes with Subjunctive of Estar

Incorrect: Espero que estas bien. — I hope you're well. (wrong, indicative used after esperar que)

Correct: Espero que estés bien. — I hope you're well.

After esperar que, the dependent verb must be in the subjunctive. Estás is the indicative (you are); estés is the tú subjunctive (you be). The hope trigger forces the mood shift.

Incorrect: Quiero que este aquí mañana. — I want him to be here tomorrow. (wrong, missing the accent)

Correct: Quiero que esté aquí mañana. — I want him to be here tomorrow.

The subjunctive form requires an accent on the é. Without the accent, este would be confused with the demonstrative adjective este (this), changing the meaning entirely.

Incorrect: Sé que esté en casa. — I know he's home. (wrong, fact assertion takes indicative)

Correct: Sé que está en casa. — I know he's home.

Saber que asserts a fact and takes the indicative (está), not the subjunctive (esté). Only triggers expressing doubt, wish, or opinion force the subjunctive. Knowing something is a statement of fact.

Subjunctive of Estar FAQs

What is the present subjunctive of estar in Spanish?: The present subjunctive of estar is: esté, estés, esté, estemos, estéis, estén. Five out of six forms carry written accents on the final é. Used in dependent clauses after triggers expressing wish, doubt, emotion, or impersonal opinion.
Why does subjunctive estar need accents?: The accents mark the stressed syllable and distinguish the subjunctive forms from other Spanish words. Without the accent, esté would collide with este (this); estés has the same accent rule applied for consistency. Only estemos doesn't take an accent.
When do I use the subjunctive of estar vs. the indicative?: Use subjunctive after W.E.I.R.D.O. triggers (Wishes, Emotions, Impersonal expressions, Recommendations, Doubt, Ojalá). Use indicative for fact assertions (sé que está, es obvio que está). Wish + que = subjunctive; fact + que = indicative.
What's the difference between esté and sea in the subjunctive?: Both are subjunctive forms of to be, but estar covers location, temporary state, or condition (Quiero que esté tranquilo). Ser covers identity, characteristic, profession, time (Quiero que sea responsable). Pick the verb the same way as in the indicative, then conjugate.
How can I learn to use the subjunctive of estar naturally?: Subjunctive estar appears constantly in wishes about how someone is feeling, where they are, or whether they're ready. Parrot's short-form videos surface these emotional and conditional contexts repeatedly, so esté / estés / estén become automatic through real-life conversation exposure.