Spanish · CEFR Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 14
¿Dónde está el baño?Where is the bathroom?
To say where something is, Spanish uses "estar" (not "ser"): ¿Dónde está el baño? — Está allí. "está" is for location; "es" (ser) is for identity. This is a preview: the full ser/estar contrast comes in Book 2. Place words: aquí, allí, sobre, debajo, cerca, lejos, al lado. New vocabulary: estar, está, aquí, allí, baño, sobre, debajo, cerca, lejos, al lado.
Dialogue
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¿Es o está?— es or está?
- MikeCarlos, ¿dónde es el baño?Carlos, where's the bathroom? (slip: location uses estar — say "¿dónde está el baño?")
- CarlosPara el lugar usamos "estar": ¿dónde está el baño?For location we use "estar": ¿dónde está el baño?
- MikeAh. ¿Dónde está el baño?Ah. Where's the bathroom?
- CarlosEstá allí, al lado de la puerta.It's there, next to the door.
Dialogue
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¿Dónde está el gato?— Where's the Cat?
- LucíaCarlos, ¿dónde está el gato?Carlos, where's the cat?
- CarlosEstá sobre la mesa. Y el perro está debajo.It's on the table. And the dog is underneath.
- Lucía¿Y mi bolso? ¿Está cerca?And my bag? Is it near?
- CarlosSí, está aquí, al lado de la silla.Yes, it's here, next to the chair.
Vocabulary
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- estar
verbto be (location/state)
- está
verb(he/she/it) is (location)
- aquí
adverbhere
- allí
adverbthere
- baño
n.m.bathroom (m)
- sobre
prepositionon
- debajo
adverbunder
- cerca
adverbnear
- lejos
adverbfar
- al lado
phr.next to
Grammar
i
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estar for location
Explanation
Until now everything was "ser". To say WHERE something is, you use another verb: "estar". ¿Dónde está el baño? — Está allí. El gato está sobre la mesa. To ask, use "dónde" + está/están: ¿Dónde están los libros? — Están aquí. The classic English mistake is using "ser" for location: "El baño es allí" sounds wrong — it must be "El baño está allí". Simple rule for Book 1: location = estar; identity = ser. The full ser/estar contrast is the big topic of Book 2.
Examples
- ¿Dónde está el baño? — Está allí.Where's the bathroom? — It's there.
- El gato está sobre la mesa.The cat is on the table.
- El perro está debajo de la silla.The dog is under the chair.
- Mi casa está cerca, no lejos.My house is near, not far.
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