esté

Esté is a form of the Spanish verb estar. It appears in the present subjunctive mood and is used in subordinate clauses to express non-factual or subjective ideas such as doubt, emotion, possibility, necessity, or wishes. The form can correspond to the first person singular (yo esté) or the third person singular (él/ella/usted esté), depending on the subject of the clause.

In the present subjunctive, the endings for estar are different from the indicative: yo esté, tú estés, él/ella/usted esté, nosotros estemos, vosotros estéis, ellos estén. The accent on é marks the stressed syllable and helps distinguish this form from other verb forms such as este (adjective) or este (demonstrative).

Esté is commonly used after phrases like quiero que, espero que, dudo que, es posible que, and ojalá, or in formal commands directed at a single person (usted). It also appears in temporal or concessive clauses triggered by conjunctions such as cuando, aunque, or para que, where the subjunctive mood is required. Examples include: Espero que esté bien; Quiero que esté aquí a las ocho; Que esté seguro antes de salir.

Derived from the Latin verb stare, est ar is irregular in the present subjunctive, which accounts for the distinctive esté form. It is distinct from the indicative present está (he/she/it is) and from past tenses such as estaba or estuviera. Esté therefore serves as a key tool for expressing non-real or contingent states in Spanish.