Breakdown of En la biblioteca hay veintidós mesas, pero hoy casi todas están ocupadas.
en
in
estar
to be
hoy
today
pero
but
Questions & Answers about En la biblioteca hay veintidós mesas, pero hoy casi todas están ocupadas.
Why does the sentence use hay in hay veintidós mesas instead of están?
Because hay is used to say that something exists: there is / there are.
- Hay veintidós mesas = There are twenty-two tables
- It introduces the existence of the tables in the library.
By contrast, estar is used more for location or state/condition:
- Las mesas están en la biblioteca = The tables are in the library
- Las mesas están ocupadas = The tables are occupied
So in this sentence:
- hay veintidós mesas = existence
- están ocupadas = condition/state
Why does the sentence begin with En la biblioteca?
Spanish often puts the place first to set the scene.
This is very natural in Spanish. You could also say:
- Hay veintidós mesas en la biblioteca
Both are correct. Starting with En la biblioteca just gives the location first, which often sounds smooth and natural.
Why is it veintidós and not two separate words?