Print FriendlyA preposition is a word used to establish relationships between nouns, between nouns and verbs, and between different parts of a sentence. Prepositions usually have spatial or temporal meanings (e.g. beneath, between, in front of, before, after, during, etc). Prepositions are invariable, that is, they have one form with the exception of a and de which contract with the definite article el forming al and del.
When prepositions have literal, spatial meanings, using them is straightforward: con with, sin without, debajo de under. There are, in addition, many idiomatic uses of prepositions. Dictionaries include listings of idiomatic meanings.
A
This is a very common preposition that can mean to, at, by, or for depending on the manner it is used. It can be used to:
Indicate Motion (to)
Fuimos a Veracruz una vez.We went to Veracruz once.
Connect One Verb to an Infinitive
Yo empecé a trabajar por primera vez aquí.I began to work here for the first time.
Indicate Manner, How Something Is Done (on, by, with)
Ella se cruzaba a pie.She crossed on foot.
Introduce a Person as a Direct Object – Personal a
Entonces conocí a mi abuela.So I met my grandmother.
Introduce an Indirect Object (to, for)
Le decía a mi mamáHe used to tell to my mom
Express Time (at, is)
El sol sale a las tres de la mañana.The sun rises at three in the morning.
Remember that the preposition a contracts with the definite article el forming al.
Ya no fueron al colegio.They did not go to college anymore.
A Causa De
This preposition indicates cause (because of, due to) and it is followed by a noun, whereas the conjunction porque (because) is followed by a subordinate clause.
A causa de un accidente cancelaron el evento. Due to an accident they cancelled the event.
A La Derecha De
This preposition can be translated as to the right of, on the right of.
El banco está a la derecha de la iglesia. The bank is on the right of the church.
A La Izquierda De
This preposition can be translated as to the left of, on the left of.
El banco está a la izquierda de la iglesia. The bank is on the left of the church.
Al Fondo De
This preposition can be translated as at the end of, at the bottom of.
El banco está al fondo de la calle. The bank is at the end of the street.
Al Lado De
This preposition can be translated as beside, next to.
Es un pueblo al lado de otra base militar.It is a village next to another military base.
Alrededor De
This preposition can be translated as surrounding, around, approximately.
Alrededor de un mes aproximadamente.Around a month approximately.
Antes De
This preposition can be translated as before (temporal).
Un día antes de la graduación todavía estábamos allí con ellos.One day before graduation we were still there with them.
A Través De
This preposition can be translated as through, across.
Todos ellos fueron a través de Boston.All of them went through Boston.
Bajo
This preposition can be translated as under, but always in a figurative sense, more metaphorical or idiomatic than debajo de.
Yo me sentía más segura bajo una familia.I felt safer under (the protection of) a family.
El perro está durmiendo debajo de la mesa.The dog is sleeping under the table.
Cerca De
This preposition can be translated as close to, near to.
Para uno que vive cerca de la frontera es totalmente diferente.For someone living close to the border it is completely different.
Con
This preposition can be translated as with.
Trabajo con los estudiantes.I work with the students.
Contra
This preposition can be translated as against.
No tengo nada contra México.I have nothing against Mexico.
De
This preposition can mean of or from, depending on the use. It can be used to:
Indicate Possession (of, ‘s)
La familia de mi mamá casi toda vive aquí en Brownsville.My mom‘s family, almost of all them live here in Brownsville.
Indicate Cause (from, with)
Estoy cansada de correr. I am tired from running.
Indicate Origin (from, of)
Mi papá es de Chihuahua, mi mamá es de Durango.My dad is from Chihuahua, my mom is from Durango.
Describe a Noun with Another Noun or Infinitive (of)
Botellas de agua ardiente.Bottles of moonshine.
Compare (than)
Como más de dos años que no he visitado.Approximately more than two years since I have last visited them.
As Part of Common Idioms
- De ahora en adelante From now on
- De pie Standing
Some walking, some others on their knees.
Remember that the preposition de contracts with the definite article el forming del.
Hablamos del idioma, hablamos de las diferencias de un país a otro.We talk about the language, we talk about the differences between countries.
Debajo De
This preposition can be translated as under.
El perro está durmiendo debajo de la mesa. The dog is sleeping under the table.
Dentro De
This preposition can be translated as in, inside, or within.
Los nueve ahí dentro de la cabina.The nine of us in the cabin.
Después De
This preposition can be translated as after (temporal).
Después de estar allí como un año o dos le empezó a gustar.After living there for one year or two she started to like it.
Detrás De
This preposition can be translated as behind.
El sol se escondió detrás de las montañas.The sun hid behind the mountains.
Durante
This preposition can be translated as during.
Durante su infancia, ¿qué lenguas se hablaban en su casa?During your childhood, which languages did you speak at home?
En
This common preposition can mean in, on, at, about, or by depending on the context. It can be used to:
Indicate Location (in, on, at)
Yo estaba en El Salvador y él en Nueva York.I was in El Salvador and he was in New York.
Indicate Time (in)
En el verano, a medianoche todavía es de día.In the summer, at midnight it is still daytime.
Indicate Manner, How Something Is Done (by)
Y claro nos fuimos en barco.And of course we went by boat.
Idioms
- En broma As a joke
- En serio Seriously
- En vivo Live
Seriously? I have never experienced that.
Encima De
This preposition can be translated as on, on top of.
El libro está encima de la mesa. The book is on the table.
Enfrente De
This preposition can be translated as in front of, across from.
En un carro enfrente de la escuela.In a car in front of the school.
Entre
This preposition can be translated as between.
¿Y cuál es la diferencia entre los mexicanos y la gente de Sudamérica?And what is the difference between Mexicans and people from South America?
En Vez De
This preposition can be translated as instead of.
En vez de estacionamiento dicen parqueadero.Instead of estacionamiento they say parqueadero (for parking lot).
Excepto
This preposition can be translated as outside of, excluding.
En este momento estamos todos aquí en este país excepto los que viven en Colombia.In this moment we are all here in this country excluding the ones that live in Colombia.
Fuera De
This preposition can be translated as outside of.
Pasé nueve meses de la universidad fuera de Estados Unidos.I spent nine university months outside of the United States.
Gracias A
This preposition can be translated as thanks to.
Gracias a la tecnología sí conservo amistades de la infancia.Thanks to technology I do keep childhood friendships.
Hacia
This preposition can be translated as toward.
¿Qué tipo de actitud tienes tú hacia ese tipo de choque cultural?Which kind of attitude do you have toward this type of culture shock?
Hasta
This preposition can be translated as until.
Viví en México hasta el quinto grado.I have been living in Mexico until fifth grade.
Lejos De
This preposition can be translated as far from.
Y es una escuela de liberal arts y le encanta, pero muy, muy chiquita y muy, muy lejos de Texas.And it is a liberal arts school and he loves it, but it is very, very small and very, very far from Texas.
Para
This preposition has many different uses. It can be used to:
Indicate Destination
Show the Use or Purpose of a Thing
Express Purpose, Objective, Aim, or Goal
Indicate a Recipient
Express a Deadline or Specific Time
Necesito el vestido para el lunes. I need the dress by Monday.
Express a Contrast from What is Expected
Para un niño lee muy bien. For a child, he reads very well.
For more information about this preposition and comparisons between por and para see also the page titled Por vs. Para
Por
This preposition can be a little bit problematic for a learner because it has many different uses. It can be used to:
Express Gratitude or Apology
Muchas gracias por la entrevista.
Thanks a lot for the interview.
Talk about Multiplication and Division
Dos por dos son cuatro.Two times two equals four.
Express Velocity, Frequency and Proportion
Antes íbamos como dos veces por semana.
Before we used to go approximately twice per week.
Indicate Location or Movement Meaning “Through,” “Along,” “By” or “In the Area of”
Sus máquinas están por todo el mundo.
His machines are used across the world.
Talk about Exchange, Including Sales
Mi papá por ochocientos dólares se compró ese terrenito.
My dad bought that land for 800 dollars.
Mean “On Behalf of,” or “In Favor of,”
Express a Length of Time, Duration
Yo me quedé con mi suegra por cinco años.
I have been living with my mother in law for five years.
Express an Undetermined, or General Time, Meaning “During”
Talk about Means of Communication or Transportation
Show the Reason for an Errand (with ir, venir, pasar, mandar, volver, and preguntar)
Paso por ti a las ocho. I will come by for you at eight o’clock.
Express Cause or Reason
Introduce the Agent in Passive Constructions
El libro fue escrito por Octavio Paz. The book was written by Octavio Paz.
Por also appears in many idiomatic expressions:
Me considero mexicano al cien por ciento.por adelantado in advance
por ahora for now
por allí around there; that way
por amor de Dios for the love of God
por aquí around here; this way
por casualidad by chance
por ciento percent
por cierto certainly, talking of
por completo completely
por dentro inside
por desgracia unfortunately
por ejemplo for example
por eso therefore
por favor please
por fin finally
por lo general generally
por lo visto apparently
por medio de by means of
por lo menos at least
por lo tanto consequently
por mi parte as for me
por ningún lado nowhere
por otra parte on the other hand
palabra por palabra word for word
por primera vez for the first time
por separado separately
por supuesto of course
por suerte fortunately
por todas partes everywhere
por todos lados on all sides
por último finally
I consider myself as 100 percent Mexican.
For more information about this preposition and comparisons between por and para see also the page titled Por vs. Para
Según
This preposition can be translated as according to.
Un joven muy activo, muy divertido según yo.A very dynamic, very fun guy according to me.
Sin
This preposition can be translated as without.
Me pasé un año sin estudiar.I skipped one year without studying.
Sobre
This preposition has many different functions and meanings, among them:
- About, on the subject of
- Above, on
- Around, approximately
Can you tell us some stories about the cultural traditions you celebrate in your family?