Learn Hardcore Russian: Справа висит карта, слева стоит стол, а сверху светит лампа. - On the right a map is hanging, on the left there is a table, and above a lamp is shining.

справа = on the right (side)
слева = on the left (side)
сверху = from above/on top They stand alone and do not require a noun or a case after them when used this way.

How are справа/слева different from направо/налево?

справа/слева answer где? (where?): static location.
направо/налево answer куда? (to where?): direction of movement. Example idea: Стол слева, but Поверни налево.

What is the difference between сверху, наверху, вверх, and наверх?

сверху: from above or on top (source/covering). In the sentence, сверху светит лампа = the lamp shines from above.
наверху: at the top/upstairs (static location).
вверх/наверх: upward/to the top (direction).

Why is there no есть (is/are) in the sentence?

Russian normally omits the present-tense copula. For existence/placement, Russian often prefers verbs of position: висит, стоит, лежит, etc., instead of есть.

Why are карта, стол, and лампа in the nominative case?

They are grammatical subjects of the verbs висит, стоит, светит. If you add a prepositional location like на стене (on the wall), that phrase would be in the prepositional case, but the subject stays nominative: На стене висит карта.

How do I choose between стоит, лежит, висит, and сидит?

стоит (stand): objects upright or on legs/bases (table, bottle, a house).
лежит (lie): objects in a horizontal/resting position (book on a table).
висит (hang): attached/suspended (map on a wall).
сидит (sit): living beings sitting; also figurative for things that “sit” snugly (less common). Choosing the right verb sounds natural to Russians.

Could I say лежит стол instead of стоит стол?

Only if the table is actually lying on its side or upside-down. A normal table in use стоит.

Why светит лампа and not горит лампа?

Both exist but differ slightly:

горит лампа: the lamp is on (lit).
светит лампа: the lamp shines (emits light onto something). With сверху, светит highlights light coming from above.

What does the conjunction а add here? Could I use и or но?

а contrasts or shifts attention: right vs left vs above. It’s natural here.
и would simply add items without contrast; also possible.
но implies opposition and would be odd here.

Can I flip the word order, like Карта висит справа?

Yes. Справа висит карта foregrounds the location, while Карта висит справа foregrounds the item. Both are grammatical; choose based on what you want to emphasize.

Why does Russian use verbs like стоит/висит where English just says “is”?

It’s a common Russian pattern: using a posture/placement verb conveys how the object is situated, which is often more informative and idiomatic than a bare есть/быть.

How do I say “to the right/left of something”?

Use справа/слева от + Genitive:

справа от двери
слева от окна Similarly, сверху can combine with a Genitive to mean “from the top of”: сверху стола (from the top of the table).

Is сверху always “from above,” or can it mean “on top of”?

Both, depending on context:

Source/from above: Сверху светит лампа.
On top (covering/upper layer): Пирог сверху посыпан сахаром.

Are there plural changes with these verbs?

Yes, the verb agrees with the subject:

Справа висят карты, слева стоят столы, сверху светят лампы.

Is стоит here ambiguous with стоит “costs”?

Context disambiguates:

стоит стол: intransitive “stands.”
это стоит 500 рублей: “costs.” Same spelling and stress; different syntax and meaning.

What are the stress patterns for the key words?

Stress (capitalized vowel marks the stress):

спрАва, слЕва, свЕрху
висИт, стоИт, свЕтит
кАрта, стол, лАмпа

Is it okay to drop the verbs and say Справа карта, слева стол?

In headlines, notes, or very casual speech you might see it, but in full sentences it’s more natural to keep висит/стоит/светит.

Could I use more specific locations like “on the wall” or “on the ceiling”?

Yes:

Справа на стене висит карта.
Сверху на потолке светит лампа. You can combine adverbs with prepositional phrases for precision.

Does справа literally mean “from the right” because of the с-?

Historically it comes from с правой (стороны), but in modern Russian справа is a fixed adverb meaning “on the right.” Don’t read the с- literally here. The “from” sense is more evident with сверху/снизу in many contexts.