Spanish Phrase
La mesa no está limpia.
Meaning
Literally, “The table is not clean.” The sentence uses the verb estar to talk about a temporary condition – the table’s current state of cleanliness.
When to use
Use this phrase when you notice a table that should be clean (in a restaurant, at home, in a classroom) but isn’t. It’s handy for politely pointing out a problem to staff or a roommate.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Lamesanoestálimpia
Definite article (La)
La is the feminine singular definite article, used before a feminine noun like mesa.
Noun (mesa)
Mesa means “table” and is a feminine noun, so it takes the article la.
Negation (no)
Place no directly before the verb to negate the whole clause.
Verb estar (está)
Estar is used for temporary states or conditions; here it describes the current cleanliness of the table.
Adjective agreement (limpia)
Limpia is the feminine singular form of the adjective limpio, matching the gender and number of mesa.
🗨In Conversation
¿La mesa está limpia?
Is the table clean?
No, la mesa no está limpia.
No, the table is not clean.
✕Common Mistakes
La mesa no es limpia.
Use estar for temporary conditions; “es” would imply the table is inherently unclean, which sounds odd.
La mesa está limpia.
Leaving out the negation changes the meaning to a positive statement.
La mesa no está limpio.
The adjective must agree with the feminine noun mesa; use limpia, not limpio.
↔Alternatives
La mesa está sucia.
The table is dirty.
La mesa no está aseada.
The table is not tidy.
La mesa no está limpia todavía.
The table isn’t clean yet.
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries, pointing out a lack of cleanliness can be done politely with a simple negative statement. Using estar (temporary) rather than ser (inherent) shows you’re talking about the current condition, not a permanent quality. In formal settings, you might add “por favor” or address the staff with “disculpe”.