 |
A specific look at 5 of the most common Spanish prepositions, (a / de / en / por / para). These are the most common prepositions in Spanish that have multiple meanings when translated into English. |
|
Looking at some of the most common prepositions that are used to describe where someone or something is. |
|
Looking at other common prepositions in Spanish which consist of only one word. |
|
Looking at other common prepositions in Spanish which consist of more than one word. |
| What you can learn from this lesson | |
|
To have a good understanding of when and how 5 of the most common Spanish prepositions (a / de / en / por / para), are used in conversation. |
|
Appreciating how the choice of preposition in both Spanish and English can often be very different. |
|
Appreciating how some of the most common Spanish and English prepositions are used to describe physical location. |
|
Having knowledge of some of the most commonly used prepositions that exist in Spanish. |
|
Being aware that many Spanish prepositions consist of more than one word. |
Top Affiliates |
TEACH ME SPANISH |
 |
TELL ME MORE SPANISH |
 |
PART 1
The first part of this lesson looks at five of the most
common Spanish prepositions as follows:
a
|
to, at,
on, onto, (by means of)
|
de
|
from, of,
about
|
en
|
in, at,
on, by
|
por
|
for, by,
along, through, around, over
|
para
|
to, in
order to, for
|
For a general understanding of what prepositions are and how
they are used in both Spanish and English take a look at the lesson, ‘An
introduction to prepositions and relative pronouns’. This lesson also looks at
some of the difficulties faced by students when learning Spanish prepositions.
For a comprehensive list of prepositions that are used to
form adverbs take a look at the lesson, ‘Adverbs part 2’.
For information and lists of verbs that are used in
conjunction with different prepositions take a look at the lesson, ‘Infinitive
verbs’.
Preposition - a |
Meaning
|
Types
of sentences
|
Examples
sentences
|
to
|
places / destinations
|
Ellos se fueron a Escocia.
|
|
|
They went
to
|
|
indicating motion
|
Se cayó al suelo.
|
|
|
It fell
to the ground.
|
|
to indicate direction |
El camino a la destrucción.
|
|
|
The path
to destruction.
|
|
with indirect
object pronouns
|
Él le escribió a ella.
|
|
|
He wrote
to her.
|
|
with the
verb 'ir' (to go)
|
Voy a pintar el techo.
|
|
|
I'm going
to paint the roof.
|
|
when joining
some verbs
|
Empezó a funcionar.
|
|
|
It started
to work.
|
at
|
indicating position
|
Él se sentó a la mesa .
|
|
|
He
sat at the table.
|
|
with
times
|
A las cinco y media.
|
|
|
At
|
|
with rates
|
A la velocidad de la luz.
|
|
|
At the
speed of light.
|
|
DON'T use
'a' to say where someone is. USE 'en' instead.
|
|
|
|
Estaban en la fiesta.
|
|
|
They were
at the party
|
on
|
in certain
set phrases
|
Vamos a ir a
pie.
|
|
|
We are
going to go on foot.
|
|
|
¿Llegaremos a tiempo?
|
|
|
Will we
arrive on time?
|
|
|
Tú necesitas ponerte a dieta.
|
|
|
You need
to go on a diet.
|
onto
|
to indicate motion
|
Ella se echó a la cama.
|
|
|
She
threw herself onto the bed.
|
Preposition - de |
Meaning
|
Type
of sentences
|
Examples
- Spanish
|
from
|
to say where we are from
|
Soy de Rumania.
|
|
|
I'm from
|
of
|
to relate one thing to another
|
Dos kilos
de patatas.
|
|
|
Two kilos
of potatoes.
|
|
to say what something is made
|
La casa es hecha de
|
|
|
The house
is made of wood.
|
about
|
when saying what we know
|
No sé mucho de eso.
|
|
|
I don't
know much about that.
|
|
what things are concerning |
Una película de leones.
|
|
|
A movie
about lions.
|
various
|
with comparisons
(numbers)
|
Menos de cinco minutos.
|
|
|
Less than
five minutes.
|
|
after
certain adjectives
|
Sera difícil de cambiar. |
|
|
It will be difficult to change. |
|
after
certain verbs
|
No me recuerdo de ti.
|
|
|
I don't
remember you.
|
|
possession
|
Es el libro de Alan.
|
|
|
It's Alan’s
book.
|
|
what
something contains
|
Una botella de cidra.
|
|
|
A bottle
of cider.
|
|
to form
some nouns
|
Un cepillo de dientes.
|
|
|
A toothbrush.
|
|
with superlative adjectives
|
El más grande de todos.
|
|
|
The
biggest of all.
|
|
to indicate cause
|
Vamos a morir de hambre.
|
|
|
We're
going to die of hunger.
|
|
with times
(hours / minutes)
|
Es diez de la noche.
|
|
|
It's ten
at night.
|
Preposition - en |
Meaning
|
Types
of sentences
|
Examples
- Spanish
|
in
|
indicating physical
location
|
En
|
|
|
In the
centre.
|
|
with times
(hours / minutes)
|
Vengo en dos minutos.
|
|
|
I'm
coming in two minutes.
|
|
with times /
dates
|
En verano,pero no en junio.
|
|
|
In
summer, but not in June.
|
at
|
indicating physical
location
|
Estaba en la fiesta.
|
|
|
I was at
the party.
|
|
in certain phrases
|
En este momento.
|
|
|
At this
moment.
|
|
with times /
dates
|
En Pascua.
|
|
|
At Easter.
|
on
|
indicating physical
location
|
Yo lo puse en la mesa.
|
|
|
I put it
on the table.
|
by
|
with modes of transport
|
¿En bus,
o en avión?
|
|
|
By bus or
by plane?
|
various
|
after certain
verbs
|
Ella piensa en él siempre.
|
|
|
She
always thinks about him.
|
Preposition - por |
Meaning
|
Types
of sentences
|
Examples
- Spanish
|
for
|
indicating periods
of time
|
Me voy por dos días.
|
|
|
I’m going
for two days.
|
|
when we mean 'on behalf
of '
|
Ella lo hizo por todos.
|
|
|
She did
it for everyone.
|
|
in
exchange for
|
(Yo) vendí uno por nada.
|
|
|
I sold
one for nothing.
|
|
when we talk about ourselves
|
(Yo) pienso por mi mismo.
|
|
|
I think
for myself.
|
by
|
to indicate how
something is
|
Llámame por celular.
|
|
|
Call me
by mobile.
|
|
modes of transport
|
No me gusta viajar por avión.
|
|
|
I don't
like to travel by plane.
|
|
to indicate physical location
|
(yo) lo dejé por la mesa.
|
|
|
I left it
by the table.
|
along
|
to indicate position
|
Pasábamos por la cima.
|
|
|
We passed
along the top.
|
through
|
to indicate position
|
Él manejó por el centro.
|
|
|
De drove
through the centre.
|
around
|
to indicate position
|
Miremos por las tienda.
|
|
|
Lets look
around the shops.
|
over
|
to indicate position
|
Cruzaron por el puente.
|
|
|
They
crossed over the bridge.
|
various
|
with periods
of time
|
(Yo) duermo por las mañanas.
|
|
|
I sleep
in the mornings.
|
|
with rates
|
Diez por ciento.
|
|
|
Ten
percent.
|
Preposition - para |
Meaning
|
Types
of sentences
|
Examples
- Spanish
|
to
|
with
infinitive verbs
|
(Yo) vine para hablar contigo.
|
|
|
I came to
speak to you.
|
in
order to
|
with
infinitive verbs
|
Él lo hizo para sobrevivir.
|
|
|
He did it
in order to survive.
|
for
|
to indicate possession
|
No es para ti.
|
|
|
It's not
for you.
|
|
to indicate purpose
|
¿Para que es?
|
|
|
What's it
for?
|
| so | to mean 'in order that' | (Tú) tienes que venir para que yo pueda enseñarte. |
| You have to come so I can show you. |
PART 2
The second part of this lesson looks specifically at
prepositions that are used to communicate the position of someone or something.
Preposition
|
Meaning
|
Examples
- Spanish
|
al cabo de
|
alongside
|
La policía paró al cabo del coche.
|
|
|
The
police stopped alongside the car.
|
|
beside / next to
|
Ese bolígrafo esta al cabo del libro.
|
|
|
That pen is
beside / next to the book.
|
al lado de
|
beside
|
Ponlo al lado de la nevera.
|
|
|
Put it
beside the fridge.
|
|
next to
|
Siéntate al lado de mi tia.
|
|
|
Sit next
to my aunt.
|
a través
|
through
|
Ella caminó a través el parque.
|
|
|
She walked through the park.
|
alrededor de
|
around
|
Es alrededor de la próxima esquina.
|
|
|
It's
around the next corner.
|
bajo
|
under
|
El perro esta bajo la mesa.
|
|
|
The dog is under the table.
|
|
underneath
|
Bajo el cuello hay manchas.
|
|
|
There are
stains underneath the collar.
|
|
below
|
La temperatura es bajo cero.
|
|
|
The
temperature is below zero.
|
cerca de
|
near
|
Es cerca
|
|
|
It's near
the park.
|
contra
|
against
|
Ponlo contra la pared.
|
|
|
Put it
against the wall.
|
debajo de
|
under
|
Busca debajo de la alfombra.
|
|
|
Look
under the carpet.
|
delante de
|
in front
of
|
Estacionese delante de ese poste.
|
|
|
Park in
front of that post.
|
dentro de
|
inside
|
Están dentro de la iglesia.
|
|
|
They are
inside the church.
|
detrás de
|
behind
|
La caja fuerte detrás de la pintura.
|
|
|
The safe
behind the picture.
|
en medio de
|
in the
middle of
|
En medio de ningún lugar.
|
|
|
In the
middle of nowhere.
|
encima de
|
on top of
|
La bandera encima de la loma.
|
|
|
The flag
on top of the hill.
|
enfrente de
|
in front
of
|
Ponte enfrente de la cola.
|
|
|
Get in
front of the queue.
|
entre
|
between
|
El jamón entre el sandwich.
|
|
|
The ham
between the sandwich.
|
|
among(st)
|
Hay venados entre los árboles.
|
|
|
There are
dear amongst the trees.
|
lejos de
|
far from
|
Estaban lejos de sus hogares.
|
|
|
They were
far from their homes.
|
por encima de
|
above
|
Voló por encima de las nubes.
|
|
|
It flew
above the clouds.
|
|
over
|
Derramó por encima de la cima.
|
|
|
It spilt
over the top.
|
sobre
|
on
|
La paloma sobre el techo.
|
|
|
The
pigeon on the roof.
|
|
on top of
|
Está sobre el montón.
|
|
|
It's on
top of the pile.
|
|
over
|
(Yo) tropecé sobre la grada.
|
|
|
I tripped
over the step.
|
tras
|
behind
|
Busca tras la puerta.
|
|
|
Look
behind the door.
|
|
after
|
Él corrió tras el ladrón.
|
|
|
He ran
after the thief.
|
vía
|
via
|
Ellos volaron vía Buenos Aires.
|
|
|
They flew
via Buenos Aires.
|
PART 3
The third part of this lesson looks at some of the most
common prepositions consisting of one word that have not so far been listed in
parts two and three of this lesson.
Preposition
|
Meaning
|
Examples
- Spanish
|
ante
|
before
|
Se paró ante el juez.
|
|
|
He stood
up before the judge.
|
|
as
|
Él me trató como una persona igual .
|
|
|
He treated
me as an equal person.
|
con
|
with
|
Maneja con cuidado.
|
|
|
Drive
with care.
|
| contra | against | Ellos están contra la guerra |
| They are against the war. | ||
desde
|
from
|
(Yo) no puedo ver desde aquí.
|
|
|
I can't
see from here.
|
|
since
|
No los he visto desde junio.
|
|
|
I haven't
seen them since June.
|
durante
|
during
|
Vete durante la pausa.
|
|
|
Go during
the break.
|
|
for
|
Hacía lluvia durante dos meses.
|
|
|
It rained
for two months.
|
hacia
|
toward
|
Ellos se fueron hacia el mar.
|
|
|
They
went toward the sea.
|
|
to
|
El niño corrió hacia su papa.
|
|
|
The boy
ran to his dad.
|
|
around
|
Estaré en casa hacia las dos.
|
|
|
I'll be
home around two.
|
hasta
|
until
|
Hasta la próxima vez.
|
|
|
Until the
next time.
|
|
so far
|
Hasta ahora no hay problema.
|
|
|
So far there’s no problem.
|
|
as far as
|
No vayas hasta la cima.
|
|
|
Don't go
as far as the top.
|
menos
|
except
|
(Yo) como todo menos grasa.
|
|
|
I eat
everything except fat.
|
|
but
|
Todos menos Marco.
|
|
|
Everyone
but Marco.
|
salvo
|
except
|
Lleva todo salvo la bicicleta.
|
|
|
Take
everything except the bike.
|
según
|
according
to
|
Debería funcionar según esto.
|
|
|
It should
work according to this.
|
sin
|
without
|
Él se salió sin decir adiós.
|
|
|
He left
without saying goodbye.
|
PART 4
The fourth part of this lesson looks at some of the most
common prepositions consisting of more than one word that have not so far been
listed in parts two and three of this lesson.
|
Preposition |
Meaning |
Examples
- Spanish |
|
a causa
de |
because
of |
Me caí a causa del viento.
|
|
|
|
I fell
down because of the wind.
|
|
a favor de |
in favour of |
(Yo) voto a favor de nadie.
|
|
|
|
I vote in
favour of nobody.
|
|
a pesar
de |
in spite
of |
Te amo a pesar de todo.
|
|
|
|
I love
you in spite of / despite everything.
|
|
acerca de |
about |
¿Qué sabes acerca de arroz?
|
|
|
|
What do
you know about rice?
|
|
antes de |
before |
Piensa antes de hablar.
|
|
|
|
Think
before speaking.
|
|
con respecto
a |
in
respect of |
Con respecto a este asunto.
|
|
|
|
In
respect of this matter.
|
|
de acuerdo
con |
in
accordance with |
De acuerdo con la ley.
|
|
|
|
In
accordance with the law.
|
|
después de |
after |
Él pagó después de terminar.
|
|
|
|
He paid
after he finished.
|
|
en vez
de |
instead
of |
Iré en vez de usted.
|
|
|
|
I'll go
instead of you.
|
|
hacia abajo |
downwards |
Apuntalo hacia abajo.
|
|
|
|
Point it
downwards.
|
|
hacia delante |
forwards |
Ella pisó hacia delantee
|
|
|
|
She
stepped forwards.
|
|
hacia arriba |
upwards |
Pon la botella hacia arriba.
|
|
|
|
Put the
bottle upwards.
|
|
hacia atrás |
backwards |
Él movió hacia atrás.
|
|
|
|
He moved
backwards.
|
|
junto a |
by |
El banco junto a la piscina.
|
|
|
|
The bank
by the swimming pool.
|
|
junto con
|
together
with |
Ponlo junto con los demás.
|
|
|
|
Put it
together with the rest.
|
That concludes this lesson on prepositions. If you have not
done so already watch the actual video for this lesson and then try one of the
associated quizzes to test your understanding.
