Leo un mensaje en la sala de espera.

I read a message in the waiting room.

Breakdown of Leo un mensaje en la sala de espera.

• yo: I
• en: in
• leer: to read
• un: a
• el mensaje: the message
• la sala de espera: the waiting room

Questions & Answers about Leo un mensaje en la sala de espera.

Why is leo used here instead of estoy leyendo?

Both leo (simple present) and estoy leyendo (present progressive) are grammatically correct. Spanish often uses the simple present to describe current actions, especially if they’re habitual or viewed as complete events.
• leo un mensaje → “I read/I am reading a message” (focus on the action itself)
• estoy leyendo un mensaje → “I am reading a message right now” (emphasizes the ongoing nature of the action)

Why is the subject pronoun yo omitted in leo un mensaje?

In Spanish, the verb ending already tells you the subject. Since leo is the first person singular form of leer, you don’t need yo. Including yo is possible for emphasis (“Yo leo un mensaje”), but it’s not required.

Why is mensaje masculine, and why do we say un mensaje instead of una mensaje?

Spanish nouns ending in -aje (like mensaje, viaje, garaje) are typically masculine. That’s why you use the masculine indefinite article un:
• un mensaje = “a message”

Why is the preposition en used with la sala de espera, and could I use a instead?

• en indicates location: “in the waiting room.”
• a indicates motion toward: “to the waiting room.”
Since the sentence describes reading inside the room, en is correct.

What does sala de espera literally translate to, and why is de used?

sala de espera breaks down as:
• sala = “room”
• de = “of”
• espera = “waiting” (noun form of the verb esperar)
Together they form the noun phrase “waiting room.”

Is espera here a verb or a noun?

In sala de espera, espera is a noun meaning “waiting.” It comes from the verb esperar but functions like “wait” or “period of waiting” in English.

How do I pronounce sala de espera?

Pronunciation guide (each “a” as in father):
• sala → SAH-lah (stress on the first syllable)
• de → deh (short “e” sound)
• espera → es-PEH-rah (stress on the second syllable)
Put it all together: SAH-lah deh es-PEH-rah

Could I add la before mensaje to say leo la mensaje?

No. mensaje is masculine, so the definite article is el (“the message”), not la. If you wanted “I read the message,” you’d say:
• Leo el mensaje en la sala de espera.