1. with an adjective when talking about a characteristic or relatively permanent quality, for example, shape, size, height, color, material, nationality;
Pau Gasol es muy alto (Pau Gasol is very tall).
Cristina es inteligente (Cristina is intelligent).
Rafa Nadal es moreno (Rafa Nadal’s dark haired)
Penelope Cruz es muy guapa (Penelope Cruz is very pretty)
El coche/carro es rojo (The car is red).
La blusa es de seda (The blouse is made of silk).
Sus padres son españoles (His parents are Spanish).
Es joven/viejo (He’s young/old).
Son muy ricos/pobres (They’re very rich/poor).
2. with a following noun or pronoun that tells you what someone or something is:
Andrés es mecánico (Andrés is a mechanic).
Soy yo, Fernando (It’s me, Fernando).
Santiago es la capital de Chile (Santiago is the capital of Chile).
3. to say that something belongs to someone:
La casa es de mi abuelo (The house belongs to my grandfather).
Es mío (It’s mine).
4. to talk about where someone or something comes from:
(Yo) soy de Perú ( I’m from Peru).
Carlos es argentino (Carlos is Argentinian).
Mi familia es de Guadalajara ( My family is from Guadalajara).
5. to say what time it is or what the date is:
Son las nueve y media (It’s half past nine).
Mañana es lunes (Tomorrow is Monday).
6. in calculations:
cinco y tres son ocho (five and three are eight).
– ¿Cuánto es todo? -Son doce euros (-How much is all together? -It’s twelve euros).
7. when followed by an infinitive:
Lo importante es decir la verdad (The important thing is to tell the truth).
8. to describe actions using the passive (for example they are made, it is sold):
Son fabricados en China (They are made in China).
9. to talk about where an event is taking place:
El concierto es en el Teatro Real de Madrid (The concert is at Madrid’s Royal Theatre).