estão

The word estão is a fundamental pillar of the Portuguese language, serving as the third-person plural present indicative form of the verb estar. To understand estão, one must first grasp the dual nature of 'to be' in Portuguese, which is split between ser (permanent essence) and estar (temporary state or location). When you use estão, you are typically describing how a group of people, animals, or objects 'are' at a specific moment in time, or where they are located. This distinction is vital for English speakers who are accustomed to the single verb 'to be'. If you say Eles são felizes, you mean they are happy people by nature; if you say Eles estão felizes, you mean they are happy right now because of a specific event. This nuance allows for a level of emotional and situational precision that is inherently built into the grammar of the language.

Grammatical Person

Used with 'Eles' (They - masculine/mixed), 'Elas' (They - feminine), and 'Vocês' (You all).

Semantic Core

Denotes transience, health, mood, location, or progressive action.

Beyond mere state, estão functions as a primary auxiliary verb. In Brazil, it is almost always followed by a gerund (ending in -ndo), such as estão correndo (they are running). In Portugal, it is more commonly followed by a + infinitive, as in estão a correr. This geographic variation is one of the first things a B1 learner should notice. Furthermore, the word carries a heavy nasal sound represented by the tilde (~), which is a signature phonetic trait of Portuguese. Mastering the pronunciation of the '-ão' ending is a rite of passage for learners. When people use estão, they are grounding their subjects in the 'here and now'. It is the verb of reality, of current health (Como estão vocês?), and of physical presence. In social settings, asking how others are doing or where they are located will inevitably involve this word. It is also used for weather conditions that are currently happening, such as as nuvens estão escuras (the clouds are dark), implying a storm might be coming. The versatility of estão makes it indispensable in daily conversation, academic writing, and literary descriptions of scenes.

Context of Health

Used to ask or state how people are feeling physically or mentally.

In more formal or literary contexts, estão can describe the state of a nation or a global situation. For instance, As negociações estão em andamento (Negotiations are underway). This demonstrates that the word isn't just for people; it’s for any plural subject undergoing a process or existing in a specific circumstance. The concept of 'being' in Portuguese is deeply tied to the perception of time. Estão captures the 'now'—the fleeting, the evolving, and the situated. It is a word that requires the speaker to be observant of the environment. Unlike English 'are', which is a catch-all, estão forces the speaker to categorize the existence of the subject. Are they 'being' (essence) or 'being' (state)? This cognitive step is what makes Portuguese both challenging and beautiful. By using estão, you are acknowledging the fluidity of life. You are saying that while things are this way now, they might not be later. This philosophical undercurrent is present even in the simplest sentences. Whether you are talking about friends at a party, books on a shelf, or the current state of your finances, estão provides the necessary temporal anchor.

Using estão correctly requires a solid understanding of plural subjects and the specific conditions that trigger the verb estar. The most common subjects are eles (they, masculine), elas (they, feminine), and vocês (you all). In Brazil, vocês is the standard way to address a group, making estão one of the most frequently used verb forms in second-person plural interactions. Structurally, the word follows the subject and precedes an adjective, a prepositional phrase, or a principal verb in the progressive form. For example, in the sentence Vocês estão prontos? (Are you all ready?), estão links the subject to a temporary state of readiness. If the subject is a noun phrase, such as As janelas estão abertas (The windows are open), the verb must agree in number, even if the subject is inanimate. This is a common point of confusion for beginners who might default to the singular está when dealing with objects.

With Adjectives

Describes temporary conditions (e.g., tired, sick, happy, cold).

With Location

Always use 'estar' for where things/people are located (e.g., in the car, at home).

A crucial aspect of using estão is its role in forming the present continuous tense. This is how Portuguese speakers describe actions happening at the moment of speaking. In Brazilian Portuguese, the structure is Subject + estão + [Verb]-ndo. For instance, Eles estão comendo (They are eating). In European Portuguese, the structure shifts to Subject + estão + a + [Infinitive], resulting in Eles estão a comer. Both are grammatically correct, but they signal the speaker's regional origin. Additionally, estão is used in many idiomatic expressions involving 'to be with' (estar com), such as Eles estão com fome (literally 'They are with hunger', meaning 'They are hungry'). This is a major departure from English, where we use 'to be' + adjective. In Portuguese, feelings like hunger, thirst, cold, and heat are often 'possessed' temporarily using estar com. Therefore, Vocês estão com frio? is the correct way to ask 'Are you all cold?'.

Auxiliary Usage

Combines with other verbs to indicate ongoing actions in the present.

When constructing complex sentences, estão can also appear in relative clauses. For example, As pessoas que estão ali são meus parentes (The people who are there are my relatives). Notice here the contrast between estão (location - there) and são (essence - relatives). This sentence perfectly encapsulates the 'Ser vs Estar' struggle for learners. Another advanced usage involves the passive voice in a temporary state: As portas estão trancadas (The doors are locked). This describes the state resulting from an action. If you used são trancadas, it would imply a habitual action (The doors are locked every night). Thus, estão provides the specific situational context. Whether you are narrating a story in the present tense or describing a scene in a photo, estão is the verb that brings the plural subjects to life in their current environment. It is the verb of the 'now', the verb of the 'where', and the verb of the 'how'.

In the real world, estão is everywhere, but it often sounds different than it looks on the page. In casual Brazilian Portuguese, the initial 'es-' is frequently dropped in speech. You will hear people say Eles 'tão' em casa instead of Eles estão em casa. This apheresis is so common that 'tão' has become a standard informal variant in spoken language, though it should be avoided in formal writing. If you are listening to a podcast, watching a novela, or chatting with friends in a bar in Rio or São Paulo, you will hear tão constantly. Recognizing this contraction is key to improving your listening comprehension. It’s also used in rapid-fire questions: Tão prontos? (Ready?). In Portugal, the pronunciation is more closed, and the initial 'e' is often reduced to a very short, almost silent schwa-like sound, emphasizing the 'stão' part.

In the Streets

Frequent use of the contraction 'tão' in Brazil; reduced 'e' in Portugal.

In Service Industry

Waiters asking 'Vocês estão satisfeitos?' or 'Como estão os pratos?'.

You will also hear estão in formal news broadcasts. A news anchor might say, As autoridades estão investigando o caso (Authorities are investigating the case). Here, the full, clear pronunciation is maintained to convey authority and clarity. In music, particularly in Samba or Bossa Nova, the word is used to set the scene or describe the mood of a group. Think of lyrics describing how people are dancing or how the stars are shining. The nasal 'ão' sound is often elongated for melodic effect. In professional environments, during meetings, you'll hear Os relatórios estão atrasados (The reports are late) or Vocês estão de acordo? (Do you all agree?). The word is a workhorse of the language, functioning as the glue for plural subjects in almost every conceivable social context.

In the News

Used for reporting current events, states of emergency, or ongoing investigations.

Another common place to hear estão is in the classroom or at home. Parents might tell their children, Vocês estão fazendo muito barulho! (You all are making too much noise!). Teachers use it to check on students: Vocês estão entendendo? (Are you all understanding?). In these contexts, the word acts as a check-in on current states of being or action. Even in social media comments, you’ll see Eles estão lindos! (They look beautiful!) under a photo of a couple or a family. The word is deeply embedded in the way Lusophones perceive the world—not as a collection of static entities, but as a dynamic set of subjects constantly in some state or another. Whether it's the 'tão' of a street vendor or the 'estão' of a university professor, the word is an essential tool for navigating the plural world of Portuguese speakers.

The most frequent mistake English speakers make with estão is confusing it with são. Because English uses 'are' for both permanent and temporary states, learners often default to one or the other without considering the 'Ser vs Estar' rule. Saying Eles são cansados instead of Eles estão cansados implies that they are 'tired people' by nature, which makes little sense. Another common error is using the singular está with plural subjects, especially when the subject is a complex noun phrase like O grupo de amigos está (which is correct as 'grupo' is singular) vs Os amigos estão. Learners often get tripped up by collective nouns and lose the plural agreement required for estão. Precision in matching the verb to the actual grammatical subject is key.

The 'São' Trap

Using 'são' for temporary states like location or mood. Correct: 'Eles estão aqui'. Wrong: 'Eles são aqui'.

Spelling Confusion

Confusing 'estão' (present) with 'estavam' (imperfect) or 'estiveram' (preterite).

Phonetically, learners often struggle with the nasal '-ão'. Without the nasalization, estão can sound like 'estou' (I am) or 'estam' (which isn't a word). This can lead to significant confusion in conversation. Another subtle mistake involves the use of estão with 'permanent' locations. While estar is for temporary states, it is always used for location, even if the location is permanent. For example, As montanhas estão no norte (The mountains are in the north). Beginners often think because the mountains don't move, they should use são. This is a classic trap: Location = Estar, regardless of permanence. Finally, in writing, forgetting the tilde (~) on the 'a' changes the pronunciation and the grammatical validity of the word entirely. It must be estão, never estao.

Omission of Subject

In English, you can't just say 'Are in the park'. In Portuguese, 'Estão no parque' is perfectly fine because the ending -ão already tells us the subject is 'they' or 'you all'.

In the context of the present continuous, English speakers sometimes forget to use estão entirely, trying to translate 'They running' literally. You must have the auxiliary verb: Eles estão correndo. Also, avoid overusing estão when a more specific verb would work better. For example, instead of Eles estão em pé (They are standing), you might use Eles permanecem em pé (They remain standing) in more formal contexts. However, for most B1 learners, the primary hurdle remains the consistent application of the Ser vs Estar distinction and the correct plural agreement. Keep an eye on your subject—if it's plural and the state is temporary or it's a location, estão is your essential tool.

While estão is the most common way to express a temporary plural state, several alternatives can add variety and precision to your Portuguese. The most direct 'competitor' is são (from ser), which we've discussed as the verb for essence and permanent traits. Choosing between estão and são is the single most important decision in Portuguese 'to be' usage. However, other verbs can replace estão depending on the context. For location, you might use encontram-se (find themselves) to sound more formal or precise. For example, Os documentos encontram-se na gaveta (The documents are found/located in the drawer). This is very common in official documents or formal correspondence.

Encontram-se

A more formal alternative for location. Literal: 'They find themselves'.

Ficam

Often used for permanent locations or the result of a change. 'Os hotéis ficam na praia'.

Another interesting alternative is ficam (from ficar). While ficar usually means 'to stay' or 'to remain', in many contexts, it replaces estar for locations that are permanent or for states that result from an action. Eles ficam felizes quando você liga (They get/become happy when you call). Here, ficam captures the transition into the state, whereas estão would just describe the state itself. In the context of health, sentem-se (they feel) is a more descriptive alternative. Instead of Eles estão bem, you could say Eles sentem-se bem (They feel well). This shifts the focus from an objective state to a subjective feeling. For B1 learners, experimenting with these alternatives helps move away from basic 'textbook' Portuguese toward a more natural, expressive style.

Andam

Used informally to mean 'have been' (ongoing state). 'Eles andam muito ocupados' (They've been very busy lately).

Finally, the verb andar can be used figuratively to replace estar when describing a state that has been persisting lately. Eles andam cansados doesn't mean they are walking tired; it means they have been tired lately. This is a very common idiomatic use in both Brazil and Portugal. Similarly, permanecer (to remain) can be used to emphasize that a state has not changed: As condições estão iguais vs As condições permanecem iguais. By understanding these nuances, you can choose the word that best fits the 'vibe' of your sentence. Whether you need the simple utility of estão, the formality of encontram-se, or the temporal depth of andam, your ability to select the right verb will mark your progress toward fluency.