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La farola está encendida por la noche.

La farola está encendida por la noche.
The streetlight is on at night.
FromLesson 17inHardcore Spanish (Spain)

Breakdown of La farola está encendida por la noche.

la noche
the night
estar
to be
la farola
the streetlight
encendida
on
por
at

Questions & Answers about La farola está encendida por la noche.

Why is it está and not es?
Because we’re describing a temporary/state condition. Estar + adjective/participle expresses a state or result (the lamppost is in the “on” state). Ser + participle would form a passive about an action: La farola es encendida por la noche = “it is turned on at night” (event), which is grammatical but formal and uncommon in everyday speech. For the action/routine, Spanish prefers Se enciende por la noche.
What is encendida here, and how is it different from encendiendo?
Encendida is the past participle of encender, used adjectivally to mean “on/lit.” It describes the resulting state. Encendiendo is the gerund (“turning on”), used for an action in progress: La farola se está encendiendo (“the lamppost is turning on right now”). To express “is on,” you need the participle-as-adjective: está encendida.
Why does encendida end in -a?
Agreement. Farola is feminine singular, so the adjective/participle agrees: encendida. Plural would be Las farolas están encendidas. With a masculine noun: El farol está encendido.
Can I use de noche, por las noches, en la noche, or a la noche instead of por la noche?
  • por la noche: very common in Spain; “at/during night.”
  • de noche: also common; more general “at night” (no article): La farola está encendida de noche.
  • por las noches: habitual/repeated nights: Suele estar encendida por las noches.
  • en la noche: more common in Latin America; in Spain, prefer por or de.
  • a la noche: Rioplatense (Argentina/Uruguay); unusual in Spain.
Does por here mean “for”? Could I use para?
Here por means “during/at.” It marks a time frame, not purpose. Para la noche would mean “by/for the evening” (deadline/intended time), which changes the meaning.
What exactly is a farola? Is it the lamp or the pole?

In Spain, farola is the streetlight (the lamp on a post; by extension the whole fixture). Related words:

  • farol: lantern (handheld/decorative), also certain wall-mounted lights.
  • faro: lighthouse; also car headlight.
  • poste: the pole itself.
  • alumbrado público: public street lighting in general.
Can I drop the article and say Farola está encendida or por noche?
No. Spanish typically needs the article here: La farola…, por la noche. Without the article, it sounds ungrammatical.
Can I move por la noche to the beginning?
Yes. Por la noche, la farola está encendida is natural. Fronting the time phrase adds emphasis or sets the scene. Both orders are fine.
How do I say it as a general routine rather than a single current state?
  • Suele estar encendida por las noches.
  • Se enciende por la noche y se apaga por la mañana.
  • For all streetlights: Las farolas están encendidas por las noches or Se encienden por la noche.
Is La farola es encendida por la noche wrong?
It’s grammatical (passive voice = “is turned on”), but sounds formal/stilted in everyday Spanish. Prefer Se enciende por la noche for the action, or Está encendida por la noche for the resulting state.
Any Spain-specific pronunciation tips for this sentence?
  • está: stress the last syllable [es-TÁ].
  • encendida: in much of Spain, ce is a “th” sound: [en-θen-DÍ-da]; the medial d is soft [ð] (like English “this”).
  • noche: ch like English “church” [NÓ-che].
How do I say “The streetlight is not on at night”?
La farola no está encendida por la noche. You can also say the opposite state: Está apagada (“It’s off”).
Are there good synonyms/alternatives for encendida?
  • encendida: “on/lit” (standard in Spain).
  • apagada: “off.”
  • iluminada: “illuminated” (lit up, possibly by something else).
  • prendida: used in much of Latin America for “on”; in Spain, encendida is preferred.
Anything to know about the verb encender?
It’s stem-changing in the present: yo enciendo, tú enciendes, él/ella enciende, etc. Past participle: encendido/encendida. Useful pairs: encender/apagar (to turn on/off). Commands: enciende (turn on), apaga (turn off).
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