El piso está limpio.

Breakdown of El piso está limpio.

estar
to be
limpio
clean
el piso
the floor
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Questions & Answers about El piso está limpio.

Why is está used instead of es in this sentence?
In Spanish, estar often describes a temporary condition or state, such as being clean at a particular moment. Ser is usually used for permanent characteristics. Since cleanliness can change, está is the appropriate choice.
What does piso mean here?
In many parts of Latin America, piso typically means “floor.” In some regions (and in Spain), piso can also mean “apartment,” but in this sentence, it’s the literal floor of a room.
Is limpio masculine in this sentence?
Yes, limpio matches the masculine noun piso. In Spanish, adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify, so we use limpio (masculine) rather than limpia (feminine).
Could the sentence also be El piso está limpio ahora?
Yes, you can add ahora (“now”) to emphasize the current state. In most contexts, it's understood that the sentence refers to the present moment, but specifying ahora can make it clearer.
Should I ever use El piso es limpio?
Not usually. El piso es limpio would imply that the floor is inherently and permanently clean by nature, which sounds odd in everyday usage. Typically, describing a clean floor refers to its temporary state, so está is the correct choice.

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