El cubo está al lado del fregadero, y dentro guardamos los productos de limpieza.

The bucket is next to the sink, and inside we keep the cleaning products.

Breakdown of El cubo está al lado del fregadero, y dentro guardamos los productos de limpieza.

• estar: to be
• nosotros: we
• y: and
• de: of

Questions & Answers about El cubo está al lado del fregadero, y dentro guardamos los productos de limpieza.

What does cubo mean here? Is it really cube?

Not here. Cubo can mean different things depending on context:

• cube in maths or geometry
• bucket
• bin / pail / container in household language

In this sentence, it is almost certainly a household container, not a geometric cube. In Spain, cubo often means a bucket or sometimes a bin, especially in domestic contexts.

Why is it está and not es?

Because Spanish uses estar for location.

• El cubo está al lado del fregadero = the container/bin is next to the sink

A quick rule:

• ser = identity, definition, what something is
• estar = location, condition, temporary states

So for where something is physically located, estar is the normal choice.

What does al lado de mean, and how is it built?

Al lado de means next to, beside, or at the side of.

It is a fixed expression:

• al lado de + noun

Examples:

• al lado de la puerta = next to the door
• al lado del fregadero = next to the sink

The al is the contraction of a + el.