Breakdown of El banco está a la izquierda.
estar
to be (location/state)
el banco
the bank
a
to
la izquierda
the left (side)
Questions & Answers about El banco está a la izquierda.
Why do we use está instead of es here?
We use está (a form of the verb estar) whenever we talk about where something is located. Even though a bank does not move, Spanish always uses estar for the physical location of buildings, people, and objects.
Why does it say a la instead of en la for 'on the'?
In Spanish, giving directions usually involves the word a (which often means 'to' or 'at'). So, a la izquierda is exactly how you say 'on the left', even though it translates more literally to 'to the left' or 'at the left'.
Why is the word la used before izquierda?
The word izquierda (left) is a feminine noun in Spanish. When you give a direction, you are referring to 'the left side', so you must include the feminine word for 'the', which is la.
I have seen the word banco used for 'bench'. How do I know which one it is here?
Context! The word banco means both a financial bank and a bench you sit on. You have to rely on the situation to know which one it is. In a street navigation context like this, it is almost certainly a financial bank.