ser

[ˈseɾ]

/[ˈseɾ]/ verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

The verdict

“ser” is in the everyday core of Spanish, ranked #39 in Spanish word frequency and used as a verb.

#39
frequency rank, Spanish
3
letters
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Tener algo una determinada naturaleza, propiedad o cualidad estable.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

ser vs su
33% similar
ser vs sí
33% similar
ser vs so
33% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for ser
PropertyValue
Headwordser
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechVerb
IPA[ˈseɾ]
Letters3
Frequency rank#39
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “ser” sits in Spanish frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). ser lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The Spanish entry for ser is 3 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈseɾ]. Corpus data places it at rank #39 in overall Spanish word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 17 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Zero misspellings are on record for ser in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "su", "sí", "so", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct Spanish form is ser, spelled S-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Tener algo una determinada naturaleza, propiedad o cualidad estable.
  2. 2
    Seguido de la descripción de una acción, consistir en ella.
  3. 3
    Haber una cosa; admitir uno o varios predicados.
  4. 4
    Suceder o acontecer.
  5. 5
    Proceder o provenir de un lugar, tener un origen.
  6. 6
    Pertenecer o identificarse con un lugar.
  7. 7
    Pertenecer a la posesión o dominio de alguno.
  8. 8
    Servir, aprovechar o conducir para alguna cosa.
  9. 9
    Estar en algún lugar o situación.
  10. 10
    Se usa para decir la hora o fecha.
  11. 11
    Tener algo un valor o precio.
  12. 12
    Se usa para dar el resultado de una operación aritmética.
  13. 13
    Corresponder o adecuarse una conducta a una persona.
  14. 14
    Sirve para afirmar o negar en lo que se dice o pretende.
  15. 15
    Junto con nombres que significan empleo, ocupación o ministerio vale ejercitarlos u ocuparse en ellos.
  16. 16
    Dicho de una persona: haber alcanzado su máximo apogeo.
  17. 17
    Fracasar, quedar obsoleto o perder todas las chances para repuntar.

Synonyms

realizarse

This word in other languages

be(English)être(Français)sein(Deutsch)ser(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 Spanish corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "ser"?
"ser" is spelled S-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈseɾ].
What does "ser" mean?
As a verb, "ser" means: Tener algo una determinada naturaleza, propiedad o cualidad estable.
What words are commonly confused with "ser"?
"ser" is commonly confused with "su", "sí", "so". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "ser"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ser" is [ˈseɾ]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "ser" come from?
"ser" is a Spanish word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “ser”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct Spanish spelling is S-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈseɾ] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “su” - see the side-by-side comparison. ser vs su
  • Browse more Spanish words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Spanish words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list