Basic checking and status | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: A beginner practices six useful English phrases about basic checking and asking about status..

EN → ES / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Basic checking and status to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

¿Está bien esto?

ess-TAH byen ESS-toh? Is this okay?
B

¿Esta es tu bolsa?

ESS-tah ess too BOL-sah? Is this your bag?
A

¿Hay alguien sentado aquí?

eye AHL-gyen sen-TAH-doh ah-KEE? Is anyone sitting here?
B

¿Estás ocupado ahora?

ess-TAHS oh-koo-PAH-doh ah-OH-rah? Are you busy now?
A

¿Estás listo ahora?

ess-TAHS LEES-toh ah-OH-rah? Are you ready now?
B

¿Necesitas ayuda?

neh-seh-SEE-tahs ah-YOO-dah? Do you need help?

Word by Word

Está Está means “is” here and describes the current condition being checked. In “¿Está bien esto?”, it combines with bien to ask whether something is okay. Use this form when checking the present condition of an item or situation.
bien Bien means “okay” in “¿Está bien esto?”, describing the condition of the thing being checked. It follows está in this question to express that something is acceptable or in good condition. Use bien with a form of estar when asking or saying that something is okay.
esto Esto means “this” and refers to the thing being checked in “¿Está bien esto?”. It points to a thing without naming it. Use esto when asking about or referring to an unspecified thing nearby.
Esta Esta means “this” and identifies the item being discussed in “¿Esta es tu bolsa?”. Here it points to the bag that is being identified. Use esta when identifying a nearby item represented by the feminine form used with bolsa.
es Es means “is” and connects esta with the item’s identity in “¿Esta es tu bolsa?”. It asks whether the identified item is the listener’s bag. Use es to identify or describe something.
tu Tu means “your” and shows that the bolsa is connected to the person being addressed in “¿Esta es tu bolsa?”. It comes before the noun it describes. Use tu before a noun when asking about or stating possession.
bolsa Bolsa means “bag” and names the item being identified in “¿Esta es tu bolsa?”. It is the object that tu describes as belonging to the person addressed. Use bolsa after a possessive word such as tu when talking about someone’s bag.
Hay Hay means “there is” here and introduces the question of whether a person is present in “¿Hay alguien sentado aquí?”. It expresses existence or presence rather than describing the person’s action. Use hay to ask whether someone or something is present.
alguien Alguien means “anyone” or “someone” and refers to an unspecified person in “¿Hay alguien sentado aquí?”. It follows hay to ask whether at least one person is present. Use alguien when the person’s identity is unknown or unimportant.
sentado Sentado means “sitting” and describes the position of the person mentioned in “¿Hay alguien sentado aquí?”. It follows alguien and tells what that person is doing or how that person is positioned. Use sentado when asking about or describing someone seated in a place.
aquí Aquí means “here” and identifies the location in “¿Hay alguien sentado aquí?”. It shows that the question concerns the place where the speaker is or is pointing. Use aquí to refer to the current place.
Estás Estás means “are” here and asks about the current state of the person being addressed. In “¿Estás ocupado ahora?” and “¿Estás listo ahora?”, it introduces a question about that person’s present condition. Use estás in questions about the current state of the person addressed.
ocupado Ocupado means “busy” and describes the current state of the person addressed in “¿Estás ocupado ahora?”. With estás, it asks whether the person is currently unavailable or engaged in something. Use ocupado when checking someone’s availability before asking for their attention.
ahora Ahora means “now” and limits the question to the present time. It appears in both “¿Estás ocupado ahora?” and “¿Estás listo ahora?”. Use ahora when you need to know someone’s status at this moment.
listo Listo means “ready” and describes the current state being checked in “¿Estás listo ahora?”. With estás, it asks whether the person is prepared at the present time. Use listo when checking preparation before an activity or action.
Necesitas Necesitas means “you need” and asks whether the person being addressed requires something in “¿Necesitas ayuda?”. It introduces the thing that may be needed, here ayuda. Use necesitas before an object when asking someone whether they require it.
ayuda Ayuda means “help” and names what may be needed in “¿Necesitas ayuda?”. It is the support being offered or requested, while the full question asks whether the person needs it. Use ayuda after necesitas when checking whether someone requires assistance.

Grammar Points

hay + noun

Hay alguien sentado aquí.

eye AHL-gyen sen-TAH-doh ah-KEE.

There is someone sitting here.

Spanish uses hay for both “there is” and “there are”; the verb does not change with the noun.

estar + adjective

Estás ocupado ahora.

ess-TAHS oh-koo-PAH-doh ah-OH-rah.

You are busy now.

Use estar with adjectives for temporary states or conditions, such as being busy or ready.

Spanish Vocabulary

alguien pron
AHL-gyen someone; anyone
aquí adv
ah-KEE here
bien adv
byen okay; well
bolsa noun
BOL-sah bag
está verb
ess-TAH is
esta det
ESS-tah this
estás verb
ess-TAHS are
esto pron
ESS-toh this
hay verb
eye there is; there are
ocupado adj
oh-koo-PAH-doh busy
sentado adj
sen-TAH-doh sitting
tu det
too your

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Is this okay?

Show Answer¿Está bien esto?

Is this your bag?

Show Answer¿Esta es tu bolsa?

Is anyone sitting here?

Show Answer¿Hay alguien sentado aquí?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

sitting

Show Answersentado

someone; anyone

Show Answeralguien

okay; well

Show Answerbien

this

Show Answeresta