Spanish Prepositions
Prepositions in Spanish operate in a way very similar to English. However, because they often have a slightly different meaning, it can be difficult to know which one to use in specific cases.
| Subject | Verb | Preposition | Object |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nosotros | vamos | a | la playa. |
| We | go | to | the beach. |
A - To, At, By Means Of
No
hay
una
mujer
a la que no le
gusten
los
zapatos.
There's not a woman who doesn't like shoes.
Al - To The (contraction)
Cuando
terminas
de
comer
debes
poner
el
cuchillo
junto al
tenedor.
When you finish eating, you should put your knife and fork together.
Con - With
Acabo
de
comer
una
hamburguesa
con
papas fritas.
I just ate a hamburger and french fries.
Conmigo - With Me
Vosotros
queréis
ir
a
la
fiesta
conmigo?
Do you guys want to go to a party with me?
Contigo - With You (informal)
I'll go with you.
Conmigo and Contigo both contain an embedded pronoun, making them irregular. Conmigo contains the first person pronoun mi, and contigo contains the second person informal pronoun ti.
Contra - Against; Opposite, Facing
La
mayoría
de los
senadores
están
en contra de él, entonces
debería
renunciar.
The majority of the senators are opposed to him, so he should resign.
De - Of, From, Indication Of Possession
Cuando
terminas
de
comer
debes
poner
el
cuchillo
junto al
tenedor.
When you finish eating, you should put your knife and fork together.
Del - Of The (contraction)
El
sabor
del
vino
depende
de la
calidad
de la
uva.
The flavor of wine depends on the quality of the grapes.
Delante - In Front, Ahead; Facing, Opposite
Here is waiting in front of your house.
Dentro - Inside, Within, In
I left my keys inside of the room.
Desde - From, Since
El
piso
está
disponible
desde
el
2
4
de
Enero
hasta
el
fin
de
Febrero.
The apartment is available from the 24 of January to the end of February.
Después - Afterward, Later; Next, Then
Después
del
partido,
el
equipo
festejó.
After the match, the team celebrated.
Encima - On Top; In Addition, Besides
La
carta
estuvo
encima
del
escritorio.
The letter was on top of the desk.
Enfrente - In Front; Facing, Opposite
La
camioneta
está
enfrente
del
edificio.
The truck is front of the building.
Hacia - Towards
Caminaba
hacia
la
casa
cuando
lo
vi.
He was walking towards the house when I saw him.
Hasta - Until; Up To, As Far As
El
piso
está
disponible
desde
el
2
4
de
Enero
hasta
el
fin
de
Febrero.
The apartment is available from the 24 of January to the end of February.
Junto - Together, Next To
Cuando
terminas
de
comer
debes
poner
el
cuchillo
junto al
tenedor.
When you finish eating, you should put your knife and fork together.
Para - For; So That, In Order That
Habia esperado
mucho
tiempo
para
recibirme
de
psiquiatra.
I had waited a long time to receive my psychiatry degree.
Por - For; By; On Behalf Of
Las
llaves
tiene
que
estar
por
aqui.
My keys have to be around here.
Por vs Para - These two prepositions cause much confusion for learners, as they both translate "for" in English. In general, por indicates cause or reason (looks backwards), while para indicates purpose or destination (looks forwards).
Sin - Without
No
podría
vivir
sin
espejo.
Es
fundamental
para
ver
como
te queda
la
ropa.
I wouldn't be able to live without a mirror. It's fundamental to see how your clothes fit you.
Sobre - About, Over, On Top Of
Me dañé
el
pie
cuando
estaba
patinando
sobre
hielo.
I hurt my foot while ice skating.
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