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O computador está na secretária.

O computador está na secretária.
The computer is on the desk.
From Lesson 170:Na escola e no escritório (o estudante)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about O computador está na secretária.

Why do we use está instead of é for a computer's location?
In Portuguese, we always use the verb estar (to be) for the physical location of objects and people, even if that location seems permanent. We only use ser (to be) for the location of events, like a party or a meeting. Since a computer is a physical object, we use está.
The English translation says "on the", but doesn't na usually mean "in the"?
The word na is a contraction (combination) of the preposition em (in/on/at) and the feminine word for "the", a. Unlike English, Portuguese often uses the same preposition (em) whether something is in, on, or at a location. If you wanted to be very specific that it is on top of the desk, you could also say em cima da secretária.
I thought a secretária was an office worker. Does it also mean desk?
Yes! The word secretária can mean either a female secretary or a writing desk. You can easily tell which one it is from the context of the sentence. Note that a male secretary is um secretário, which only refers to the person.

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