Spanish grammar
Prepositions
Prepositions are small words like to, of, in and with. Learn the four most common ones, how a and de join with el, and the personal a.
Prepositions link words together and show place, time, direction or ownership. Spanish uses a small number of them very often. They rarely match English one to one, so it helps to learn them with whole phrases.
The Big Four
| Spanish | Main meanings | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a | to, at | Voy a la escuela. - I’m going to school. |
| de | of, from, about | Soy de México. - I’m from Mexico. |
| en | in, on, at | Estoy en casa. - I’m at home. |
| con | with | Vivo con mi madre. - I live with my mother. |
A: To and At
A shows direction ("to") and the clock time something happens ("at"). It also links ir to an infinitive to talk about the future.
- Vamos a la playa. - Let’s go to the beach.
- Llego a las tres. - I arrive at three.
- Voy a comer. - I’m going to eat.
De: Of, From, About
De shows where something comes from, what it is about or made of, and who owns it.
- el libro de mi padre - my father’s book
- una taza de café - a cup of coffee
- Salgo de la oficina. - I’m leaving the office.
- ¿De qué hablas? - What are you talking about?
En and Con
En: In, On, At
En covers "in", "on" and "at" for the place where something is. It is also used for months and for transportation.
- en la mesa - on the table
- en la ciudad - in the city
- en el trabajo - at work
- en enero - in January
- Voy en tren. - I’m going by train.
One exception: "on foot" is a pie.
Con: With
Con means "with": café con leche (coffee with milk), Hablo con el doctor. (I’m talking to the doctor). Remember conmigo (with me) and contigo (with you).
Al and Del
When a or de comes right before el (the), the two words join.
- a + el = al: Voy al hospital. - I’m going to the hospital.
- de + el = del: el nombre del perro - the dog’s name
Only el does this. La, los and las stay separate: a la casa, de los niños. The pronoun él (he) does not join either: el libro de él (his book).
The Personal A
When the direct object of a verb is a specific person, Spanish puts a in front of it. English has nothing like this, so it does not translate.
- Veo a María. - I see María.
- Conozco a tu hermano. - I know your brother.
- Busco a mi hijo. - I’m looking for my son.
- Llamo a la policía. - I’m calling the police.
Things take no a:
- Veo la casa. - I see the house.
- Busco mi llave. - I’m looking for my key.
Personal A: Special Cases
- Pets: many people use it for pets they love: Quiero a mi perro. - I love my dog.
- Tener: usually no personal a: Tengo dos hermanos. - I have two brothers.
- Not a specific person yet: no a either: Necesito un médico. - I need a doctor (any doctor). Compare Busco a mi médico. - I’m looking for my doctor.
When English and Spanish Differ
Some verbs need a preposition in Spanish but not in English, or the other way around.
- pensar en - to think about: Pienso en ti. - I think about you.
- esperar - to wait for: Espero el tren. - I’m waiting for the train.
- buscar - to look for: Busco trabajo. - I’m looking for work.
- escuchar - to listen to: Escucho música. - I’m listening to music.