Understanding Relationships Between Words
Prepositions are words that connect nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other words in a sentence, showing relationships of place, time, direction, cause, manner, and more. They are essential building blocks for expressing complex ideas in Spanish.
Learning Strategy
When learning Spanish prepositions, it is always better to divide them into very common,common, and rare categories. This approach helps you focus on the most frequently used prepositions first, building a solid foundation before moving to less common ones.
These prepositions are used constantly in everyday Spanish. Mastering them is essential for basic communication.
Used to indicate direction, destination, time (at specific hours), and before direct objects referring to people (personal "a"). One of the most versatile prepositions in Spanish.
Direction/Destination
Yo voy a tu casa
I'm going to your house
With Contraction
Ella va al parque
She goes to the park
Time (Hours)
Llegamos a las 5 pm
We arrive at 5 pm
Personal A
Veo a mi madre
I see my mother
Indicates accompaniment, association, or the means by which something is done. It can express physical presence, instruments used, or manner.
Accompaniment
Voy con mis amigos
I'm going with my friends
Ingredient/Combination
Bebo café con leche
I drink coffee with milk
Instrument/Means
Escribo con bolígrafo
I write with a pen
One of the most versatile prepositions, expressing possession, origin, material, topic of conversation, and more. Essential for indicating "belonging to" relationships.
Possession/Of
La casa de mi madre
My mother's house
Origin/From
Soy de México
I'm from Mexico
About
Hablamos de política
We talk about politics
Material
Una mesa de madera
A wooden table (a table of wood)
Indicates a starting point in time or space. More specific than "de" when emphasizing the origin or beginning point. Often used with time expressions.
Starting Point (Time)
Estudio español desde enero
I've been studying Spanish since January
Starting Point (Place)
Vengo desde la playa
I'm coming from the beach
Duration
Vivo aquí desde hace tres años
I've lived here for three years
Extremely versatile preposition indicating location, position, or time. Unlike English, Spanish uses "en" for many situations where English uses different prepositions.
Location (In)
Estoy en mi casa
I'm in my house
Location (On)
El libro está en la mesa
The book is on the table
Location (At)
Estamos en la fiesta
We're at the party
Transportation
Viajo en tren
I travel by train
Expresses purpose, destination, deadline, recipient, or goal. Focuses on the objective, consequence, or intended result of an action. Think "in order to" or "for the purpose of."
Purpose/Goal
Estudio para aprender
I study in order to learn
Recipient
Este regalo es para ti
This gift is for you
Destination
Salgo para España mañana
I'm leaving for Spain tomorrow
Deadline
Es para el lunes
It's for Monday (due Monday)
Expresses cause, reason, exchange, duration, means, or movement through a place. Focuses on the reason, origin, or cause behind an action. Think "because of" or "on account of."
Cause/Reason
Estoy aquí por ti
I'm here because of you
Agent (Passive Voice)
Escrito por Cervantes
Written by Cervantes
Exchange
Pagué 20 dólares por esto
I paid 20 dollars for this
Movement Through
Caminamos por el parque
We walk through the park
Duration
Estudié por tres horas
I studied for three hours
El libro está escrito para Juan
The book is written for Juan (he will receive it)
El libro está escrito por Juan
The book is written by Juan (he wrote it)
Indicates absence or lack of something. The opposite of "con" (with). Used to express that something is missing or not present.
Absence
Café sin azúcar
Coffee without sugar
Lacking
Salí sin mi teléfono
I left without my phone
Unfulfilled Action
Estoy sin comer
I haven't eaten (I'm without eating)
Indicates physical position (on top of, above), or the topic/subject of discussion. Can also express approximation in time or quantity.
Physical Position
El pájaro está sobre la casa
The bird is above the house
Topic/About
Un libro sobre historia
A book about history
Approximate Time
Llegará sobre las seis
He'll arrive around six
These prepositions appear regularly in Spanish but are less frequent than the very common ones. They add precision and nuance to your communication.
Indicates position below or beneath something, or being subject to certain conditions. Often used in formal or idiomatic expressions.
Physical Position
El gato está bajo la mesa
The cat is under the table
Conditions/Influence
Bajo el efecto del alcohol
Under the influence of alcohol
Authority
Trabajo bajo su supervisión
I work under his supervision
Expresses opposition, contact, or being in conflict with something or someone. Can be physical or ideological opposition.
Opposition
Estoy contra esa idea
I'm against that idea
Physical Contact
La pelota chocó contra la pared
The ball hit against the wall
Competition
Jugamos contra el mejor equipo
We play against the best team
Indicates the duration of time throughout which an action occurs. Emphasizes the continuous nature of an action over a period.
Time Period
Estudié durante toda la noche
I studied during the whole night
Event Duration
Durante la película, comí palomitas
During the movie, I ate popcorn
Extended Period
Viví allí durante cinco años
I lived there during five years
Indicates position or relationship between two or more elements. Can express physical location or abstract relationships.
Between Two
Estoy entre tú y ella
I'm between you and her
Among Many
Entre todos, lo haremos
Among all of us, we'll do it
Time Range
Entre las 3 y las 5
Between 3 and 5 o'clock
Indicates direction or movement toward something, or approximate time. Less specific than "a" when expressing direction.
Direction
Voy hacia el norte
I'm going towards the north
Approximate Time
Llegaré hacia las ocho
I'll arrive around eight
Attitude Toward
Su actitud hacia mí cambió
His attitude towards me changed
Indicates a limit or endpoint in time or space. Can also be used as an adverb meaning "even" to emphasize an extreme or surprising case.
Time Limit
Trabajo hasta las seis
I work until six
Space Limit
Caminamos hasta la playa
We walked up to the beach
Even (Adverb)
Hasta mi abuela usa internet
Even my grandmother uses the internet
Indicates the source of information or opinion, or expresses dependency on circumstances. Used to cite sources or show conditional relationships.
According To
Según el periódico, lloverá
According to the newspaper, it will rain
Opinion Source
Según mi madre, estoy loco
According to my mother, I'm crazy
Depending On
Iré o no, según el clima
I'll go or not, depending on the weather
These prepositions are less frequently used and often appear in formal or literary contexts. While important to recognize, they're not essential for everyday conversation.
Indicates position in front of or in the presence of something (not temporal "before"). Often used in formal or legal contexts. More formal than "delante de."
In Front Of
Compareció ante el juez
He appeared before the judge
Faced With
Ante esta situación, debemos actuar
Faced with this situation, we must act
In the Presence Of
Se declaró ante todos
He declared himself before everyone
Indicates the means or method by which something is achieved. Not about physical movement through space, but rather the instrument or process used. More formal than "por medio de."
By Means Of
Lo resolvimos mediante el diálogo
We solved it through dialogue
Through (Method)
Mediante este sistema, aprendemos más
Through this system, we learn more
Using
Paga mediante tarjeta de crédito
Pay using a credit card
Indicates position behind or following in sequence (temporal). More literary or formal than "después de" (after) or "detrás de" (behind). Common in written Spanish.
After (Time)
Tras la reunión, comimos
After the meeting, we ate
Behind (Position)
Se escondió tras la puerta
He hid behind the door
Sequential
Día tras día
Day after day
Used primarily in sports, legal contexts, or comparisons to indicate opposition or confrontation between two sides. Often abbreviated as "vs." Borrowed from Latin.
Sports
Barcelona versus Real Madrid
Barcelona versus Real Madrid
Legal
El estado versus el acusado
The state versus the accused
Comparison
Calidad versus cantidad
Quality versus quantity
Indicates the route, path, or means by which something travels or is transmitted. Commonly used with transportation routes and communication methods.
Route
Viajo a Londres vía París
I'm traveling to London via Paris
Communication Method
Envíalo vía email
Send it via email
Means
Conectado vía satélite
Connected via satellite
Here's a complete overview of Spanish prepositions at a glance. Click on any for detailed information above.
Prepositions can be tricky, especially knowing which one to use in different contexts. A tutor can help you practice using prepositions correctly in real conversations and provide instant feedback on your usage.