La urna está vacía.

to be

Breakdown of La urna está vacía.

• vacío: empty
• la urna: the ballot box

Questions & Answers about La urna está vacía.

Why is it la urna and not just urna?

In Spanish, nouns often need an article where English might not use one. La urna means the ballot box / the urn / the container, referring to a specific one.

Saying just urna by itself would usually sound incomplete in a normal sentence. You would more naturally say:

• La urna está vacía. = The urn/ballot box is empty.
• Una urna está vacía. = An urn/ballot box is empty.

So la is the feminine singular definite article, meaning the.

What does urna mean exactly?

Urna can mean different things depending on context. In Spain, common meanings include:

• ballot box in an election
• urn
• a display or ceremonial container in some contexts

So the exact translation depends on the situation. In many everyday Spanish-learning examples, it is often understood as ballot box or urn.

Why is it está and not es?