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La calle es estrecha.

La calle es estrecha.
The street is narrow.
FromLesson 18inHardcore Spanish (Latin America)

Breakdown of La calle es estrecha.

ser
to be
la calle
the street
estrecho
narrow

Questions & Answers about La calle es estrecha.

Why do we use la before calle?
In Spanish most nouns require a definite article. La is the feminine singular article (“the”), and calle is a feminine noun, so we say la calle (the street).
How do I know that calle is feminine?
There isn’t a hard rule for all nouns ending in -e, so you usually learn each noun’s gender as you go. In this case calle is feminine by convention. Over time you’ll notice patterns (for example, nouns ending in -ión are almost always feminine).
Why does estrecha end with -a instead of -o?
Spanish adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. The masculine form is estrecho and the feminine is estrecha. Since calle is feminine singular, we use estrecha.
Why is the adjective placed after the noun, not before it?
The default Spanish word order is noun + adjective (e.g. la calle estrecha). Placing the adjective before the noun can add emphasis or a poetic touch, but the neutral, everyday order is after.
Why is the verb ser (es) used here instead of estar?

Spanish has two verbs for “to be”:

  • Ser describes inherent or permanent characteristics.
  • Estar describes temporary states or locations.
    A street’s narrowness is considered a stable trait, so we use es (from ser).
How would I say “The streets are narrow”?

Make both noun and adjective plural, and use son (3rd-person plural of ser):
Las calles son estrechas.

Can I ever use está with estrecha?

Yes, if you mean a temporary situation. For instance, after some construction the street might be unusually narrow:
La calle está estrecha por las obras.
But for its normal, permanent width you’d stick with ser.

How do I pronounce the ll in calle?
In most of Latin America ll sounds like the English “y” in yes ([ˈkaʝe]). In some places you might hear a palatal “l” ([ˈkaʎe]). Listen to native speakers from different regions to get a feel for the variation.
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“How does verb conjugation work in Spanish?”
Spanish verbs change form based on the subject, tense, and mood. Regular verbs follow predictable patterns depending on whether they end in ‑ar, ‑er, or ‑ir. For example, "hablar" (to speak) becomes "hablo" (I speak), "hablas" (you speak), and "habla" (he/she speaks) in the present tense.

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