Learn Spanish: Describe Rooms and Furniture with Prepositions and Adjectives
Learn to describe rooms and furniture in Spanish using hay, prepositions of place, and adjectives. Say 'There is a small table by the window' and more.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In this lesson, you will learn to describe rooms and furniture in Spanish. You will use the verb hay (there is/there are), prepositions of place like junto a (next to), and adjectives like pequeño (small). By the end, you will be able to say sentences such as 'Hay una mesa pequeña junto a la ventana' (There is a small table by the window). This lesson focuses on interiors, so you can talk about your home, office, or any room. We use Latin American Spanish, with notes on regional differences.
By the end, you can…
- describe what furniture is in a room using hay.
- use prepositions of place to say where objects are located.
- use adjectives to describe furniture size, color, and condition.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Hay una mesa pequeña junto a la ventana.
There is a small table by the window.
eye oo-nah meh-sah peh-keh-nyah hoon-toh ah lah ben-tah-nah
Use hay for 'there is/are'. Junto a means 'next to' or 'by'. Adjectives usually follow the noun.
El sofá está en la sala.
The sofa is in the living room.
el so-fah es-tah en lah sah-lah
Use está for location of a specific object. En means 'in' or 'on'.
La cama es grande y cómoda.
The bed is big and comfortable.
lah kah-mah es grahn-deh ee ko-mo-dah
Use es for inherent characteristics. Adjectives agree in gender and number.
Las sillas están debajo de la mesa.
The chairs are under the table.
lahs see-yahs es-tahn deh-bah-ho deh lah meh-sah
Debajo de means 'under'. Están is plural of está.
¿Dónde está la lámpara?
Where is the lamp?
don-deh es-tah lah lahm-pah-rah
Use dónde to ask location. Answer with está + preposition.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To describe a room, use hay + indefinite article + noun + adjective + preposition + place. Example: Hay una mesa pequeña junto a la ventana. (There is a small table by the window.) For specific objects, use estar: El sofá está en la sala. (The sofa is in the living room.) Adjectives usually come after the noun and agree in gender and number: una silla pequeña (a small chair), dos sillas pequeñas (two small chairs). Common prepositions: en (in/on), junto a (next to), debajo de (under), encima de (on top of), al lado de (beside), frente a (facing).
When to use it
Use hay to introduce new or unspecified items: Hay una cama en el dormitorio. (There is a bed in the bedroom.) Use está/están for known or specific items: La cama está en el dormitorio. (The bed is in the bedroom.) Use es/son for inherent qualities: La mesa es grande. (The table is big.) Use está/están for temporary states: La ventana está abierta. (The window is open.) In Latin America, hay is used for both singular and plural: Hay una silla. Hay tres sillas.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
¿Cómo es tu sala?
What is your living room like?ko-mo es too sah-lahMi sala es pequeña. Hay un sofá azul y una mesa de centro.
My living room is small. There is a blue sofa and a coffee table.mee sah-lah es peh-keh-nyah. eye oon so-fah ah-sool ee oo-nah meh-sah deh sen-tro¿Dónde está la mesa de centro?
Where is the coffee table?don-deh es-tah lah meh-sah deh sen-troEstá frente al sofá, debajo de la ventana.
It is in front of the sofa, under the window.es-tah fren-teh al so-fah, deh-bah-ho deh lah ben-tah-nahA little context goes a long way
In Spanish, adjectives typically follow the noun and must agree in gender and number. For example, 'una casa pequeña' (a small house) vs. 'un coche pequeño' (a small car). In some regions, 'junto a' may be replaced by 'al lado de' with no change in meaning. Also, 'hay' is used for both 'there is' and 'there are' in all Spanish varieties.
One thing to watch for
Using 'es' instead of 'está' for location, e.g., 'La mesa es en la sala.'
Try this instead: Use 'está' for location: 'La mesa está en la sala.' Use 'es' for inherent characteristics: 'La mesa es grande.'
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'There is a big bed in the bedroom' in Spanish?
Show a sample answer
Hay una cama grande en el dormitorio.
Hay introduces the existence, una cama grande is the noun phrase with adjective after noun, and en el dormitorio indicates location. Alternatives: 'En el dormitorio hay una cama grande' is also correct.
2Translate: 'The lamp is on the table.'
Show a sample answer
La lámpara está encima de la mesa.
Use está for location of a specific object. Encima de means 'on top of'. You could also say 'sobre la mesa'.
3Make the adjective agree: 'dos sillas (pequeño)'
Show a sample answer
dos sillas pequeñas
Sillas is feminine plural, so pequeño becomes pequeñas. If the noun were masculine plural, it would be pequeños.
Use hay to say what exists in a room, and está/están to locate specific items. Place adjectives after nouns and make them agree in gender and number. Practice by describing your own room in Spanish.
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