In both languages, English and Spanish, prepositions are followed by an object, which is frequently a noun. One big difference in terms of prepositions between these two languages is the position. In Spanish you will always find an object following a preposition while in English, sometimes a preposition can appear at the end of a sentence. That is not possible in Spanish.<\/p>\n
Prepositions are one of this these things that you cannot learn by heart. Every language use the prepositions in very different contexts and situations, meaning that you shouldn’t translate one preposition in Spanish to English because this could change depending on the verb that goes with.<\/p>\n
Now we are going to study the most common prepositions in Spanish giving examples to illustrate the way they go in a sentence.<\/p>\n
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\u201cA\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n a= to, at, by means of<\/p>\n – To express the idea of direction towards something, someone or somewhere.<\/p>\n EJ: Entrada a centro de ciudad\u00a0 (Access to city centre)<\/em><\/p>\n – To refer to specific people, places or animals as direct objects.<\/p>\n Ej: Llama a tu amigo (Call your friend)<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Vamos a mis casa (Let\u2019s go to my house)<\/em><\/p>\n \u00bfHas visto a los perros? (Did you see the dogs?)<\/p>\n – To express the idea of motion:<\/p>\n Ej: Vamos al (a + el) cine (Let\u2019s go to the movies)<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Fue a Espa\u00f1a el a\u00f1os pasado (He\/she went to Spain last year)<\/em><\/p>\n – To express manner:<\/p>\n Ej: Vamos a pie (Let\u2019s go by geet)<\/em><\/p>\n – To express time (\u201cat\u201d):<\/p>\n Ej: Me acuesto a las 11 (I go to sleep at 11)<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 El partido empieza a las 8 (the game starts at 8)<\/em><\/p>\n – To introduce an indirect object:<\/p>\n Ej: Tir\u00f3 la bolsa a la basura (He\/she threw the bag to the bin)<\/em><\/p>\n – To refer to smell, taste or sound:<\/p>\n Ej: El jard\u00edn huele a flores (The garden smells of flours)<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>La cerveza sabe a cebada (The beer tastes like barley)<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 La canci\u00f3n suena a Rock (The song sounds like rock)<\/em><\/p>\n – To express rate or distance:<\/p>\n Ej: El coche va a120 km\/h(the car goes at120 Km\/h)<\/p>\n El precio es 10 euros a la hora (the rate is 10 euros per hour)<\/p>\n \u201cAnte\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n ante= before (faced with)<\/p>\n – To describe or express a situation literally \u201cin front of\u201d, \u201cbefore\u201d:<\/p>\n Ej: Se par\u00f3 ante la casa (He\/She stopped in front of the house)<\/em><\/p>\n -To describe a situation figurative \u201cfaced with\u201d, \u201cin respect of\u201d:<\/p>\n Ej: Ante esa situaci\u00f3n no podemos hacer nada (Facing this situation we can\u2019t do anything else) <\/em><\/p>\n – To express preference:<\/p>\n Ej: Eligir\u00eda la ciudad ante un pueblo (I would choose a city over a village)<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cBajo\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n bajo= under (This word means literally under but it is more associated to a formal context. The similar word \u201cdebajo\u201d is used more frequently. We use \u201cbajo\u201d commonly in a figurative sense and we can translate it to English as \u201cbeneath\u201d).<\/p>\n – To express position approximately in space (\u201cunder\u201d, \u201cbeneath\u201d):<\/p>\n Ej: Hay una moneda bajo la mesa (There is a coin under the table)<\/em><\/p>\n – To show submission or obedience (\u201cunder\u201d \u201cunder control\u201d):<\/p>\n Ej: El ejercito bajo mandos del capit\u00e1n (The army under the command of the captain)<\/em><\/p>\n – To illustrate the idea of \u201cless than\u201d or under a minimum in measurements:<\/p>\n Ej: En invierno, la temperatura est\u00e1 bajo cero (The temperature is below zero)<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cCon\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n con= with<\/p>\n – To express the idea of in \u201ccompany of\u201d or to show the manner in which something is done or the instrument or material that you use to do it:<\/p>\n Ej: Voy a jugar con mis amigos (I am going to play with my friends)<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Cortalo con unas tijeras (Cut it off with scissors) <\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Naci\u00f3 con talento para la m\u00fasica (He\/she was born with musical talent)<\/em><\/p>\n – To express an encounter or appointment between people or people and objects:<\/p>\n Ej: Me econtr\u00e9 con tu hijo ayer (I bumped into your son yesterday)<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tengo una cita con el dentista (I have got an appointment with the dentist)<\/em><\/p>\n – To show an attitude or behaviour towards another people or object:<\/p>\n Ej: Es muy bueno con los ni\u00f1os (He is always very attentive to children)<\/em><\/p>\n – To express the idea of \u201ccontaining\u201d:<\/p>\n Ej: Tengo una bolsa con libros (I have a bag full of books)<\/em><\/p>\n – To express the state or situation of people:<\/p>\n Ej: Estoy contento con tu trabajo (I am happy with your work)<\/em><\/p>\n – To indicate reciprocal actions (talk, speak, write, chat, etc):<\/p>\n Ej: Estoy hablando con Pedro (I am talking to Pedro)<\/p>\n Estoy escribiendome cartas con mi t\u00eda (I am corresponding with my auntie)<\/p>\n