Learn Hardcore Spanish (Spain): El teclado está sobre la mesa y el ratón junto al altavoz. - The keyboard is on the table and the mouse next to the speaker.

Spanish uses the verb estar to talk about the location of things and people. So you say El teclado está… not “es.” The verb ser is not used for location of objects, except for the location of events (e.g., El concierto es en el teatro).

Why can the second "está" be omitted before "junto al altavoz"?

It’s a normal case of coordination/ellipsis. Spanish often drops a repeated verb:

Full: El teclado está sobre la mesa y el ratón está junto al altavoz.
With ellipsis (perfectly fine): El teclado está sobre la mesa y el ratón junto al altavoz.

Could I use "en" or "encima de" instead of "sobre"? What’s the nuance?

sobre = “on (top of)” or “over/above” (contact is likely, but not required by the word itself).
en = very general “in/on/at.” En la mesa can mean “on the table,” but it’s less explicit than “sobre/encima de.”
encima de = clearly “on top of” (above and typically touching). In Spain, encima de and sobre are both very common for “on (top of).”

Do I ever say "sobre de la mesa"?

No. sobre is a complete preposition on its own: sobre la mesa. You do use de after certain other prepositions: encima de la mesa, debajo de la mesa, al lado de la mesa.

What exactly does "junto a" mean? How is it different from "al lado de" or "cerca de"?

junto a = “next to/right by,” often a bit more formal/literary.
al lado de = “next to/beside,” very everyday and neutral.
cerca de = “near,” but not necessarily right next to. In this sentence, junto a means the mouse is immediately adjacent to the speaker.

Why is it "junto al" and not "junto a el"?

Spanish contracts a + el to al. So: junto al altavoz. Note there is no contraction with the pronoun él: junto a él (not “al”).

Could I say "al lado del altavoz" instead?

Yes. al lado de is a perfect synonym here. Remember the contraction de + el = del: al lado del altavoz.

Why do "está" and "ratón" have accent marks?

está has an accent to show stress on the last syllable and to distinguish it from esta (this, feminine).
ratón ends in “n,” so it would normally stress the penultimate syllable; the accent forces final-syllable stress: ra-TÓN.

How do I pronounce these in Spain?

junto: initial j as a throaty “h” .
altavoz: final “z” as “th” [θ] in most of Spain: al-ta-BOθ.
ratón: tapped “r” at the start of a syllable; stress on -tón.
sobre, mesa: straightforward; stress SO-bre, ME-sa.

Is "ratón" the normal word for a computer mouse in Spain?

Yes. In Spain, ratón is standard for the computer device. You may see mouse informally or in techy contexts, but ratón is the default. For “speaker,” Spain typically uses altavoz (while Latin America may use parlante or bocina).

Why are definite articles used (el/la) instead of indefinite ones (un/una)?

Definite articles indicate specific, known items (the keyboard, the table, the speaker in the room). If you said Hay un teclado sobre una mesa, you’d be introducing them as new/unspecified items.

Can I change the word order?

Yes, Spanish allows some flexibility for emphasis:

Sobre la mesa está el teclado, y junto al altavoz, el ratón.
Está el teclado sobre la mesa y el ratón junto al altavoz. These are correct but slightly more formal/emphatic than the original.

Should there be a comma before "y"?

No comma is needed here in Spanish. A comma before y is uncommon and generally used only to set off parentheticals or prevent real ambiguity.

If I want one verb for both subjects, how do I write it?

If you make the subject plural, you must use están:

El teclado y el ratón están sobre la mesa y junto al altavoz means both are on the table and both are next to the speaker (potentially ambiguous). To keep the original distinct locations with one verb, add respectivamente:
El teclado y el ratón están, respectivamente, sobre la mesa y junto al altavoz.

What are the plurals of "altavoz" and "ratón"? Any spelling changes?

altavoz → altavoces (z → c + -es)
ratón → ratones (the accent disappears because the default stress moves to the penultimate syllable: ra-TO-nes) Also: teclados, mesas.

Can "junto" be used without "a"?

Yes, but it changes meaning/function:

junto a
- noun/pronoun = “next to”: junto a la ventana, junto a mí.
juntos/juntas (adjective/adverb) = “together”: El teclado y el ratón están juntos.

Is "arriba de" okay in Spain for “on top of the table”?

In Spain, arriba de isn’t the usual choice. Prefer encima de or sobre: encima de la mesa / sobre la mesa.

Does "sobre" mean “above” (not touching) or “on (touching)”?

It can mean either, depending on context. Often it implies contact (“on top of”), but it can also mean “over/above” with no contact. encima de similarly tends to mean “on top of.” If you need “above” with no contact and want to be crystal clear, you can also use por encima de.

What’s the difference between "hay" and "está" in sentences like this?

Hay introduces/explains existence: Hay un teclado sobre la mesa = “There is a keyboard on the table.”
Está locates a specific, known thing: El teclado está sobre la mesa = “The keyboard is on the table.”

Is "sobre la mesa" related to "sobremesa"?

No. sobre la mesa literally means “on the table.” la sobremesa (one word) is a cultural term for the conversation/time spent at the table after a meal. They’re unrelated despite looking similar.