Listening to Spanish Descriptions of Where Things Are
Listening to Spanish descriptions of where things are
In this listening lesson, you will identify where familiar objects are from short Spanish descriptions. Focus on the object, the form of estar, and the location phrase that tells you its position.
During each first listening attempt, use the Spanish audio only. Decide where the object is before reading the transcript and English meaning.
Listening for one object and one location
Listen first:
Now check:
— The book is on the table.
The object is el libro — the book, and its position is sobre la mesa — on the table.
Listen to another description:
Now check:
— The lamp is next to the bed.
The key location phrase is — next to the bed.
Listening for en
En gives a general location such as a room or place.
Listen first:
Now check:
— The table is in the kitchen.
Listen again:
Now check:
— The sofa is in the living room.
In both descriptions, en tells you the general place where the object is.
Listening for sobre
Sobre tells you that one object is on a surface.
Listen first:
Now check:
— The phone is on the desk.
Listen again:
Now check:
— The lamp is on the table.
When you hear sobre, listen immediately for the object or surface that follows it.
Listening for debajo de
Debajo de tells you that one thing is under or below another.
Listen first:
Now check:
— The book is under the chair.
Listen again:
Now check:
— The phone is under the book.
Treat debajo de as one complete listening unit.
Listening for al lado de
Al lado de tells you that two things are next to each other.
Listen first:
Now check:
— The chair is next to the table.
Listen again:
Now check:
— The sofa is next to the window.
Listening for delante de and detrás de
These two phrases describe opposite relationships. Listen for the complete phrase before you decide.
Listen first:
Now check:
— The chair is in front of the table.
Listen again:
Now check:
— The chair is behind the table.
The object and reference are identical. Only delante de and detrás de change the spatial relationship.
Listening for entre
Entre tells you that the position depends on two reference points.
Listen first:
Now check:
— The book is between the lamp and the phone.
Do not stop after lámpara. You need both reference points to recover the complete location.
Tracking the reference without switching it
Listen first:
Now check:
— The lamp is in front of the sofa. The book is behind the lamp.
The second sentence uses la lámpara as its reference point. Do not keep using el sofá after the reference has changed.
Distinguishing similar descriptions
Now listen for the location phrase that changes the meaning.
Description 1:
Description 2:
Now check:
— The book is on the table.
— The book is under the table.
The object and reference point are the same. Only sobre and debajo de change the position.
Listening for singular and plural objects
Está signals a singular subject, while están signals a plural subject.
Listen first:
Now listen:
Now check:
— The book is on the table.
— The books are on the table.
The location is the same, but the second description refers to more than one book.
Listening for several objects in one room
Listen to the complete description before reading the meaning:
Now check:
— The bed is in the room. The lamp is next to the bed. The book is on the desk.
Do not try to remember every word at once. Track one object and one location at a time.
Matching descriptions to a room
Imagine two rooms:
- Room A: a bed, a lamp next to the bed, and a book on the desk
- Room B: a sofa next to the window, a table, and a phone under the table
Listen to Description 1:
Listen to Description 2:
Now check:
— The sofa is next to the window. The phone is under the table.
Description 1 matches Room B.
— The lamp is next to the bed. The book is on the desk.
Description 2 matches Room A.
Listening for the reference object
The reference object after the location phrase is just as important as the location phrase itself.
Compare:
Now check:
— The lamp is next to the bed.
— The lamp is next to the window.
Al lado de stays the same, but the final noun changes the location.
Listening for a question and answer
Listen to this short exchange:
Person A:
Person B:
Now check:
Person A: — Where is the phone?
Person B: — It is on the table.
The answer omits el teléfono because the object is already clear from the question.
Listening for plural questions
Listen first:
Person A:
Person B:
Now check:
Person A: — Where are the books?
Person B: — They are on the desk.
The plural form están helps confirm that the answer refers to los libros — the books.
A complete listening challenge
Imagine these three arrangements:
- Arrangement A: the phone is on the table and the book is under the chair
- Arrangement B: the phone is under the book and the chair is next to the table
- Arrangement C: the phone is on the desk and the chair is under the window
Listen to Description 1:
Listen to Description 2:
Listen to Description 3:
Now check:
— The phone is under the book. The chair is next to the table.
Description 1 matches Arrangement B.
— The phone is on the desk. The chair is below the window.
Description 2 matches Arrangement C.
— The phone is on the table. The book is under the chair.
Description 3 matches Arrangement A.
A reliable listening method
When you hear a short location description, use this sequence:
- Identify the object being described.
- Listen for está or están.
- Identify the location phrase: en, sobre, debajo de, al lado de, delante de, detrás de, or entre.
- Identify the reference place or object that follows.
- Listen again only for the detail that remains uncertain.
The goal is to extract the spatial relationship accurately rather than translate every word in real time.
From listening for location to choosing hay or está / están
You can now identify where familiar objects are from short Spanish descriptions using en, sobre, debajo de, al lado de, delante de, detrás de, and entre. The next lesson compares hay with está and están so you can distinguish saying that something exists from saying where a specific thing is located.