About This Lesson
Use Checking a Room Before Use to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
¿Está lista la sala?
¿ehs-TAH LEES-tah lah SAH-lah? Is the room ready?
B
Las sillas están en su lugar.
lahss SEE-yahs ehs-TAHN en soo loo-GAR. The chairs are in place.
A
¿Funciona la pantalla?
¿foon-see-OH-nah lah pahn-TAH-yah? Is the screen working?
B
La imagen se ve clara.
lah ee-MAH-hen seh beh KLAH-rah. The picture looks clear.
A
¿Tenemos marcadores?
¿teh-NEH-mohss mahr-kah-DOH-rehss? Do we have markers?
B
Están sobre la mesa.
ehs-TAHN SOH-breh lah MEH-sah. They're on the table.
A
¿Hay espacio para moverse?
¿eye ehs-PAH-see-oh PAH-rah moh-BEHR-seh? Is there space to move around?
B
Hay suficiente espacio para caminar.
eye soo-fee-see-EN-teh ehs-PAH-see-oh PAH-rah kah-mee-NAHR. There's enough room to walk around.Word by Word
Está
In «¿Está lista la sala?», «Está» means “is” and describes the room’s current condition. It is a form of «estar» used with a singular subject, and a useful pattern is «estar + adjective». New example: «La puerta está abierta».
lista
In «¿Está lista la sala?», «lista» means “ready” and describes the room’s condition. It is feminine singular to match «la sala»; use «estar lista» when a feminine person or thing is ready. New example: «La comida está lista».
la
In «la sala», «la» means “the” and identifies one feminine singular noun. It is used directly before a feminine singular noun, as in «la pantalla». You would use it when referring to a specific room or object.
sala
In «¿Está lista la sala?», «sala» means “room,” specifically the room being checked. It is used with «la» in «la sala»; reuse this combination when referring to a particular room. New example: «La sala está abierta».
Las
In «Las sillas están en su lugar», «Las» means “the” before a specific group of feminine plural nouns. It is used directly before a feminine plural noun, such as «Las sillas». Use it when referring to several known objects.
sillas
In «Las sillas están en su lugar», «sillas» means “chairs.” The plural form refers to more than one chair, and it is used with «Las» in «Las sillas». You would use it when checking or arranging seating in a room.
están
In «Las sillas están en su lugar», «están» means “are” and describes the chairs’ location. It is a form of «estar» used with a plural subject; a useful pattern is «estar + location phrase», such as «están sobre la mesa». Use it when confirming where several things are.
en
In «están en su lugar», «en» means “in” and places the chairs within their intended position. It commonly comes before a place or location phrase, as in «en su lugar» or «en la sala». Use it when saying where something is.
su
In «en su lugar», «su» means “their” and connects the place with the chairs. It comes before the noun «lugar» in the pattern «su + noun». Use this pattern when referring to something associated with the people or things already being discussed.
lugar
In «en su lugar», «lugar» means “place.” Together, «en su lugar» means that the chairs are in their intended position, but «lugar» itself names the place. A useful pattern is «en + place noun» when stating a location.
Funciona
In «¿Funciona la pantalla?», «Funciona» means “works” or “functions” and asks whether the screen operates properly. It is a form of «funcionar» used with «la pantalla»; reuse the pattern «¿Funciona + device or object?». New example: «¿Funciona el proyector?».
pantalla
In «¿Funciona la pantalla?», «pantalla» means “screen.” It is used with «la» in «la pantalla» to refer to the specific screen in the room. Use it when checking a screen or describing what appears on it.
imagen
In «La imagen se ve clara», «imagen» means “picture” or “image.” It is the thing whose appearance is being checked, and it is used with «La» in «La imagen». You would use it when referring to visual content on a screen.
se
In «La imagen se ve clara», «se» works together with «ve» in «se ve clara» to describe how the image appears; it is not translated separately here. A useful pattern is «se ve + adjective», as in the new example «La pantalla se ve bien». Use it when commenting on how something looks.
ve
In «La imagen se ve clara», «ve» contributes the meaning “looks” or “is seen” together with «se». The expression «se ve + adjective» describes the appearance of something; new example: «La imagen se ve oscura». Use it when assessing how an object or image appears.
clara
In «La imagen se ve clara», «clara» means “clear” and describes the image’s appearance. It matches «La imagen» in form, and the pattern «se ve clara» means that the image looks clear. You would use it when a picture or display is easy to see.
Tenemos
In «¿Tenemos marcadores?», «Tenemos» means “we have” and asks whether the group has markers available. It is a form of «tener» used with «marcadores»; reuse the pattern «¿Tenemos + noun?». New example: «¿Tenemos tiempo?».
marcadores
In «¿Tenemos marcadores?», «marcadores» means “markers” and names the items being checked for. The plural form refers to more than one marker and follows «tenemos» as the thing possessed. You would use it when preparing materials for writing or presenting.
sobre
In «Están sobre la mesa», «sobre» means “on” or “above” and places the markers on the table. It comes before the noun phrase «la mesa» in the pattern «sobre + place». Use it when describing something positioned on a surface.
mesa
In «sobre la mesa», «mesa» means “table.” Together with «sobre», it identifies the surface where the markers are located. A useful pattern is «sobre la mesa» when saying that something is on the table.
Hay
In «¿Hay espacio para moverse?», «Hay» means “is there” or “are there” and asks whether something exists or is available. It is used with a noun such as «espacio» in the pattern «¿Hay + noun?». Use it when checking whether a place, item, or amount is available; new example: «¿Hay tiempo?».
espacio
In «¿Hay espacio para moverse?», «espacio» means “space” or “room,” referring to open area in the room. The phrase «espacio para + infinitive» identifies what the space allows, here «para moverse». You would use it when checking whether people can move comfortably.
para
In «espacio para moverse» and «espacio para caminar», «para» means “for” or “in order to” and introduces the purpose or action connected with the space. A reliable pattern is «para + infinitive», such as «para caminar». Use it when saying what something is for or what it allows.
moverse
In «espacio para moverse», «moverse» means “to move around.” The final «se» is attached to the infinitive and is part of the form used for the people moving themselves around. It follows «para» in the pattern «para moverse»; new example: «Es fácil moverse aquí».
suficiente
In «Hay suficiente espacio para caminar», «suficiente» means “enough” and says that the amount of space meets the need. It comes before the noun «espacio» in «suficiente espacio». Use «suficiente + noun» when confirming that there is an adequate amount; new example: «Hay suficiente tiempo».
caminar
In «espacio para caminar», «caminar» means “to walk.” It is an infinitive after «para» and names the activity the space allows, giving the pattern «para caminar». You would use it when discussing whether there is room for people to walk.
Grammar Points
estar + adjetivo
La sala está lista.
lah SAH-lah ehs-TAH LEES-tah.The room is ready.
Spanish uses estar for temporary states; the adjective agrees with the noun: sala → lista.
hay + sustantivo
Hay espacio suficiente.
eye ehs-PAH-see-oh soo-fee-see-EN-teh.There is enough space.
Hay expresses existence or availability and does not change for singular or plural nouns.
Spanish Vocabulary
clara
adj
KLAH-rah
clear
La imagen se ve clara.
en su lugar
phrase
en soo loo-GAR
in place
Las sillas están en su lugar.
está
verb
ehs-TAH
is
Está
¿Está lista la sala?
están
verb
ehs-TAHN
are
Las sillas están en su lugar.
funciona
verb
foon-see-OH-nah
works
¿Funciona la pantalla?
imagen
noun
ee-MAH-hen
picture
La imagen se ve clara.
lista
adj
LEES-tah
ready
¿Está lista la sala?
pantalla
noun
pahn-TAH-yah
screen
¿Funciona la pantalla?
sala
noun
SAH-lah
room
¿Está lista la sala?
se ve
phrase
seh beh
looks
La imagen se ve clara.
sillas
noun
SEE-yahs
chairs
Las sillas están en su lugar.
tenemos
verb
teh-NEH-mohss
we have
¿Tenemos marcadores?
Quiz
Word Order
Arrange the words in the correct order.
Is the room ready?
Show Answer
¿Está lista la sala?The chairs are in place.
Show Answer
Las sillas están en su lugar.Is the screen working?
Show Answer
¿Funciona la pantalla?Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
screen
Show Answer
pantallaworks
Show Answer
funcionapicture
Show Answer
imagenready