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Questions & Answers about La casa es grande.
Why is it la instead of el?
In Spanish, casa is a feminine noun, so it takes the feminine article la. Most words ending in -a are feminine, though there are exceptions.
Why do we use es instead of está?
We use es (a form of the verb ser) to describe an inherent characteristic (being big). Está (a form of estar) is often used for temporary states or locations. Since size is seen as a permanent or long-term trait, es is correct in this case.
Why do we place grande after casa?
Adjectives in Spanish frequently come after the noun. You can put some adjectives before the noun for emphasis or to give a different nuance, but for a basic descriptive statement like this, la casa es grande is the standard word order.
Does grande change form based on gender?
Grande can be used for both masculine and feminine nouns without changing form. However, when placed before a singular noun, it can shorten to gran (as in una gran casa, meaning “a great house”).
Can we omit the article la?
In Spanish, we typically include the definite article when referring to a specific noun. Unlike English, where you might say “House is big” (though it would sound off in English), Spanish requires the article la to indicate we’re talking about a specific house.