Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): La copiadora está ocupada; uso la grapadora para unir mis apuntes. - The copier is busy; I use the stapler to bind my notes.

Use estar for temporary states and current status. Está ocupada means “it is busy/in use right now.” Using ser (es ocupada) would sound like you’re describing an inherent trait, which doesn’t fit here.

Can ocupada describe a machine, not just a person?

Yes. Ocupado/a commonly describes things that are “in use”:

El baño está ocupado.
La copiadora está ocupada. You can also say: está en uso, la están usando, or no está disponible.

Is the semicolon (;) natural here in Spanish?

Yes. A semicolon can link two related independent clauses. Alternatives that feel very natural in everyday writing/speech:

La copiadora está ocupada, así que uso la grapadora…
La copiadora está ocupada; por eso uso la grapadora… Avoid a simple comma between the two sentences (comma splice).

Why use the simple present uso instead of estoy usando?

Spanish uses the simple present a lot for both current actions and habits. Uso can mean “I’m using (now)” or “I use (whenever this happens).”

To stress “right now,” you can say estoy usando.
To express an immediate plan, voy a usar also works.

Why la grapadora and not una or mi?

La grapadora = “the stapler,” a specific one known from context (e.g., the office stapler).
Una grapadora = “a stapler,” any stapler, not a specific one.
Mi grapadora = “my stapler,” your own. Choose the article/possessive based on how specific you want to be.

Is grapadora the word everywhere in Latin America?

It’s widely understood, but many countries prefer other words:

engrapadora / engrapar: Mexico, much of Central America.
abrochadora / abrochar: Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay.
corchetera / corchetear: Chile.
engrampadora / engrapar: parts of the Andes (e.g., Peru, Bolivia). Use the local term if you want to sound native; otherwise grapadora is generally understood.

Should I say grapar/engrapar instead of unir here?

Unir is correct but generic (“join”). With a stapler, many speakers would say:

…uso la grapadora para grapar/engrapar mis apuntes. Regional options: abrochar (Río de la Plata), corchetear (Chile). Juntar also works but is informal and general.

Does apuntes mean “notes”? Could I say notas?

Apuntes commonly means class notes across Spanish. Notas can mean “grades” in much of Latin America, so it may be ambiguous. If you prefer notas, clarify: mis notas de clase.

Why ocupada ends in -a? What agreements are happening?

copiadora is feminine singular, so the adjective agrees: ocupada.
grapadora is also feminine singular, hence la grapadora.
apuntes is masculine plural, so with a pronoun it would be los (see next question). Mis is plural to match apuntes.

Can I replace mis apuntes with a pronoun?

Yes, if the referent is clear from context:

…para unirlos. (los = mis apuntes, masc. plural) With infinitives, the pronoun attaches to the end: unirlos. You could also place it before a conjugated verb in other structures: Los voy a unir con la grapadora / Voy a unirlos… Avoid doubling the direct object (don’t say both mis apuntes and los together here).

Why para + infinitive (para unir) and not por or a?

Para + infinitive expresses purpose (“in order to”): para unir.

Por would express cause/reason and doesn’t fit purpose here.
A + infinitive can follow verbs of motion (e.g., ir a unir), but not to express purpose after uso.

Is copiadora the same as a printer?

No:

copiadora / fotocopiadora = copier/photocopier.
impresora = printer. Many offices have a multifuncional (printer–scanner–copier).

Any quick pronunciation tips for this sentence?

copiadora: the “ia” sounds like “ya” [ko-pya-DO-ra]; the d between vowels is soft.
grapadora: hard g [gra-pa-DO-ra]; single r is a quick tap.
apuntes: stress the second syllable [a-PUN-tes].
unir: stress the last syllable [u-NIR].