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Mi abuela lee el periódico en el balcón.

Mi abuela lee el periódico en el balcón.
My grandmother reads the newspaper on the balcony.
From Lesson 101:Home and housework (la lavadora, el balcón)·Spanish (Spain)

Questions & Answers about Mi abuela lee el periódico en el balcón.

Why is it en instead of a specific word for "on"?
In English, we say "on the balcony", but Spanish uses en for "in", "on", and "at". You don't need a different word; en el balcón perfectly translates to "on the balcony".
Why does balcón have an accent mark on the "o"?
In Spanish, words ending in -n, -s, or a vowel naturally put the spoken stress on the second-to-last syllable. Because the spoken stress in balcón is on the final syllable, it needs a written accent mark to show that it breaks the normal rule.
Does lee mean she is reading right now, or that she reads as a habit?
It can mean both! The Spanish present tense (lee) translates to both "reads" (a routine) and "is reading" (happening right now). You would use the context of the conversation to know which one is meant.
Is periódico related to the English word "periodical"?
Yes! A periódico is a newspaper, which is published at regular intervals (periods). While English usually uses "newspaper", the Spanish word shares the same root as the English word "periodical".

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