Breakdown of La vista en la costa es bonita.
ser
to be
en
on
la vista
the view
bonito
pretty
la costa
the coast
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Spanish grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about La vista en la costa es bonita.
Why is vista feminine and not masculine? Could we say el vista?
In Spanish, most nouns ending in -a are feminine. Vista follows this rule, so it takes the feminine article la. A handful of words ending in -a are masculine (for example el día), but vista is not one of them—so el vista would be incorrect.
Do we have to use the definite article la here? Could we use una vista instead?
La vista refers to a specific or known view (“the view”). If you want to say “a pretty view” in general, you’d use the indefinite article: una vista bonita. Choose la when the view is clear from context or already mentioned, and una when it’s any view.
Why is the adjective bonita placed after vista? Can it go before?
The neutral word order in Spanish is noun + adjective: vista bonita. Putting the adjective before the noun (bonita vista) is possible but adds emphasis or a poetic tone. For everyday speech, stick with la vista es bonita.
Why do we use ser (es bonita) instead of estar (está bonita)?
Use ser to describe inherent or defining qualities. A view being pretty is seen as an inherent characteristic, so es bonita. Saying está bonita would imply a temporary state or change, which sounds odd for a landscape.
Why is en used in en la costa? Could we say a la costa or sobre la costa?
- en la costa = “on/at the coast” (location).
- a la costa = “to the coast” (movement toward).
- sobre la costa would literally mean “over the coast” and is rare for simple location.
For saying “the view on the coast,” you need en la costa.
What’s the difference between costa and playa?
- Costa = the coastline or coastal region (land bordering the sea).
- Playa = the beach itself (the sandy area).
You can have many playas along one costa.
Could we say la vista costera instead of la vista en la costa?
Yes. Costera is the adjective form of costa, so la vista costera es bonita means “the coastal view is pretty.” It’s more concise but conveys the same idea.
What’s the difference between vista and paisaje?
- Vista = “view,” what you see from a particular spot.
- Paisaje = “landscape,” the physical or artistic depiction of scenery.
You might admire the paisaje (landscape) and describe the vista (view) as pretty.
When would you use orilla instead of costa?
- Orilla refers to the shore or edge where water meets land, e.g. la orilla del mar (“the seashore”).
- Costa is the broader coastal region.
Use orilla when focusing on the water’s edge itself.
Why are b and v pronounced the same in vista and bonita?
In Spanish, both b and v represent the same bilabial sound, similar to English b but softer between vowels. That’s why vista and bonita both start with the same sound despite different spellings.