mesa
/MEH-sah/
table
Mesa most commonly means 'table' or 'desk,' referring to this essential piece of furniture.
📝 In Action
La comida está en la mesa.
A1The food is on the table.
Necesitamos una mesa para cuatro personas, por favor.
A1We need a table for four people, please.
Dejé mis llaves sobre la mesa de centro.
A2I left my keys on the coffee table.
💡 Grammar Points
A Feminine Word
In Spanish, all things are either 'masculine' or 'feminine'. 'Mesa' ends in '-a', so it's a feminine word. This means you always use 'la' or 'una' with it, like 'la mesa' (the table) or 'una mesa' (a table).
❌ Common Pitfalls
`Mesa` vs. `Tabla`
Mistake: ""Pásame la mesa para cortar el pan.""
Correction: "Pásame la tabla para cortar el pan." (Pass me the board to cut the bread). 'Mesa' is the whole piece of furniture. 'Tabla' is a flat piece of material, like a cutting board or a plank of wood.
⭐ Usage Tips
Setting and Clearing
To talk about preparing the table for a meal, use the phrase 'poner la mesa'. To talk about cleaning up afterward, you can say 'quitar la mesa' or 'recoger la mesa'.
In formal contexts, mesa refers to a 'board' or 'committee,' like a mesa directiva (board of directors).
mesa(Noun)
board
?a committee, e.g., board of directors
panel
?a group of experts for discussion
,desk
?an information or reception counter
📝 In Action
La mesa directiva se reunirá mañana para tomar una decisión.
B2The board of directors will meet tomorrow to make a decision.
Se organizó una mesa redonda con expertos para debatir el problema.
B2A round table discussion with experts was organized to debate the problem.
El presidente de la mesa electoral contó los votos.
C1The chairman of the polling station board counted the votes.
⭐ Usage Tips
From Furniture to People
This meaning is an extension of the first one. Think of a group of important people sitting around a table to make decisions. Over time, the word for the table ('mesa') also came to mean the group itself.
Mesa is also used geographically to describe a flat-topped hill or 'plateau' that resembles a giant table.
mesa(Noun)
plateau
?a flat-topped landform
mesa
?the English geographical term
,tableland
?a high, flat area of land
📝 In Action
En el desierto de Arizona se pueden ver muchas mesas impresionantes.
C1In the Arizona desert, you can see many impressive mesas.
⭐ Usage Tips
A Visual Connection
This meaning makes perfect sense when you see a picture of this landform—it looks like a giant, flat table rising from the ground. English even borrowed the word 'mesa' for this exact geographical feature.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: mesa
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'mesa' to talk about a group of people?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'mesa' and 'tabla'?
'Mesa' is the whole piece of furniture with legs that you eat at or work on. 'Tabla' is just a flat piece of material, like a 'tabla de cortar' (cutting board) or a wooden plank.
How do I say 'waiter' or 'waitress'?
The word for waiter/waitress comes from 'mesa'! It's 'mesero' for a man and 'mesera' for a woman. In Spain, it's more common to use 'camarero' or 'camarera'.
Is there a word for the conversation people have after a meal at the table?
Yes, and it's a wonderful Spanish concept! It's called 'la sobremesa'. 'Sobre' means 'on' or 'over', so it literally means 'over the table'.