dónde está
/donde esta/from spelling rules
The Spanish phrase for "where is" is dónde está.
Use dónde está specifically for whereabouts or position rather than asking for a definition or identity.
Which one should you use?
Use dónde está for location (where something is) rather than qué es (what something is).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, people might say ¿En dónde está? instead of dónde está. In Spain, people might use se encuentra instead of está. In Spain, people might use queda instead of está.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word dónde must include an accent mark when used in a question.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use dónde es for location, but está is the correct verb for the position of objects or people.
Did you know?
- If you are looking for a lost person or object, you might hear the response no se sabe, which literally means 'it is not known' instead of 'I don't know'.
- In some Caribbean dialects, the d in dónde may be softened or dropped in rapid speech, making it sound more like ónde.
- Asking ¿dónde está? about a person in a social setting can sometimes be interpreted as checking if they are present or if they have 'disappeared' from a party.
Examples in context
- ¿Dónde está el pan?Where is the bread?This sentence demonstrates how to ask for the location of bread using dónde está.Tatoeba #1530521 by marcelostockle, translation #4552586 by AlanF_US
- ¿Dónde está el tren?Where is the train?This sentence shows how to ask for the location of a train using dónde está.Tatoeba #1116478 by Shishir, translation #1103022 by jamessilver
- ¿Dónde está el niño?Where is the boy?This sentence illustrates asking for the location of a boy using dónde está.Tatoeba #1237235 by Shishir, translation #370651 by saeb
- ¿Dónde está el museo?Where is the museum?
- ¿Podría indicarme dónde se encuentra la estación de tren?Could you please indicate where the train station is?
- ¿Me podría decir dónde queda el restaurante?Could you tell me where the restaurant is located?
- ¿Dónde está Juan?Where is Juan?
- ¿Sabes dónde queda la tienda de música?Do you know where the music store is located?
- ¿Tienes idea de dónde está la biblioteca?Do you have any idea where the library is?
- ¿Dónde se encuentra la playa?Where is the beach?
- ¿Dónde queda el mercado?Where is the market?
- ¿Dónde está la estación de policía?Where is the police station?
- ¿Podría indicarme dónde se encuentra la oficina de correos?Could you please indicate where the post office is located?
- ¿Dónde está el parque central?Where is the central park?
- ¿Sabes dónde queda el restaurante italiano?Do you know where the Italian restaurant is located?
- ¿Tienes idea de dónde está la tienda de ropa?Do you have any idea where the clothing store is?
- 304 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are at a hotel looking for the lobby.
- AlejandroLucía, ¿dónde está la recepción?Lucía, where is the reception?
- LucíaNo lo sé, Alejandro.I don't know, Alejandro.
- AlejandroMira, ¿dónde está el mapa?Look, where is the map?
- LucíaEstá sobre la mesa.It is on the table.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
