Son means “they are.” It’s the third person plural form of ser, which means “to be,” in the present tense.
- Estos son mis favoritos. (These are my favorite.)
- Sus hijos son estudiantes muy buenos. (Your children are very good students.)
- ¿Por qué los hombres son tan tontos? (Why are men so dumb?)
This is different from están, which comes from the verb estar, also meaning “to be.” While ser tends to be mean “to be” in a more permanent or objective way, estar tends to have a more temporary or subjective meaning.
- ¿Dónde están tus amigos? (Where are your friends?)
- Los cuadros están maravillosos. (The paintings are amazing.)
- ¿Por qué todos están tan tristes? (Why is everyone so sad?)
