El calaix de la taula és ple de papers.

to be

Breakdown of El calaix de la taula és ple de papers.

• la taula: the table
• de: of
• el paper: the paper

Questions & Answers about El calaix de la taula és ple de papers.

Why does Catalan say el calaix de la taula instead of something like the table's drawer?

Catalan usually expresses this kind of relationship with de: el calaix de la taula = the drawer of the table / the table’s drawer.

English often uses 's, but Catalan normally does not. Using de is the standard, natural way.

Also, a possessive like el seu calaix would usually mean his/her/its/their drawer, so it can be ambiguous. El calaix de la taula clearly tells you which drawer you mean.

Why is it de la taula, not del taula?

Because taula is a feminine noun, so it takes la: la taula.

In Catalan:

• de + el = del
• de + la = de la (no contraction)

So:

• el calaix del despatx = the drawer of the office
• el calaix de la taula = the drawer of the table

Why is there an el before calaix?