To say where a place or thing is, use estar, not ser: está (it is), están (they are). The location word that follows often ends in de or a, and Spanish squashes these together before el: de + el = del, a + el = al.
Examples
- ¿Dónde está la estación?
- Where is the station?
- El hotel está cerca del aeropuerto.
- The hotel is near the airport.
- La parada está al lado del museo.
- The stop is next to the museum.
- Los taxis están enfrente de la salida.
- The taxis are across from the exit.
The mistake to avoid
Don't use ser for location: it's "El banco está en la esquina", never "El banco es en la esquina".
Where this fits in
Travel & directions, Spanish A2: Get around in a Spanish-speaking city: take transport, ask the way, check into a hotel, and buy a ticket.