Spanish Prepositions: Rules and Examples

Spanish Prepositions

Do you know what a preposition is or how to use them in Spanish? These words will help you improve your command of Spanish and sound more natural when communicating with native speakers.

What is a preposition?

A preposition links nouns, pronouns, and phrases to other words in a sentence. They usually indicate the relationship of objects in time or space in comparison to the rest of the sentence.

These words sneak into sentences and help establish relationships between things, places, times, and people. In Spanish, there are simple prepositions and compound prepositions, which we will differentiate below.

Common simple prepositions in Spanish

Simple prepositions are single words, such as "a", "en", "de", "con", "por", "para" or "sin", among others.

A - Ante - Bajo - Con - Contra - De - Desde - Durante - En - Entre - Hacia - Hasta - Mediante - Para - Por - Según - Sin - Sobre - Tras - Vía - Versus

Compound prepositions in Spanish

While, compound prepositions are combinations of simple prepositions, such as "encima de", "dentro de", "al lado de", "cerca de", and many more.

A causa de - A fin de - A pesar de - Al lado de - Acerca de - Además de - Alrededor de - Antes de - Cerca de - Conforme a - Contrario a - Debajo de - Delante de - Dentro de - Después de - Detrás de - Encima de - Enfrente de - En cuanto a - En lugar de - En vez de - Frente a - Fuera de - Junto a - Respecto a

Common preposition doubts

Pero vs Sino

A frequent error that English-speakers make is translating the English conjunction "but" into Spanish. Why? Because there are two options: pero and sino.

While both express contrast, they are used differently depending on the structure of the sentence.

Pero – Uses & Examples

We use pero when the second part does NOT negate the first, but simply adds contrast:

• No soy española, pero hablo bien el idioma. (I'm not Spanish, but I speak the language well.)
• Hace frío, pero hace sol. (It's cold, but it's sunny.)
• Estudiar no es divertido, pero es necesario. (Studying isn't fun, but it's necessary.)

Sino – Uses & Examples

We use sino in negative sentences where the second part corrects the first ("but rather"):

• No estudio biología, sino matemáticas. (I don't study biology, but rather math.)
• No voy al cine, sino que ceno con mis padres. (I'm not going to the movies, but instead I'm having dinner.)

Also:

• No solo es guapo, sino también simpático. (Not only is he handsome, but also nice.)

Por vs Para

Both por and para mean "for" in English, but they are used in very different contexts.

Por – Uses

• Movement: Paseamos por la ciudad (through the city)
• Cause: Lo hice por ti (because of you)
• Exchange: 20€ por el libro (for the book)
• Time (general): Por la mañana (in the morning)
• Means: Hablé por teléfono (by phone)

Para – Uses

• Destination: Salgo para Madrid (towards Madrid)
• Purpose: Para estudiar (in order to study)
• Recipient: Esto es para ti (for you)
• Deadline: Es para mañana (due tomorrow)

De vs Desde

Both de and desde can mean "from", but they are used differently.

Desde – Uses

Desde indicates origin or starting point:

• Vuelo desde Madrid a París (from Madrid)
• Trabajo desde casa (from home)
• Desde aquí se ve todo (from here)

De – Uses

De indicates origin, possession or relation:

• Soy de España (I'm from Spain)
• El libro de Juan (Juan's book)
• Estoy cansado de estudiar (tired of studying)

Examples of the use of prepositions in Spanish

By understanding and using Spanish prepositions properly, you will be able to communicate more easily in everyday situations. In addition, you will be able to express your thoughts, ideas and the relationships between objects and people with precision.

It is important to remember that prepositions in Spanish can have several meanings and uses, so it is essential to practice their application in different contexts to fully master them. Furthermore, prepositions in Spanish do not have gender and number, unlike colours or adjectives.

For example, "El libro está debajo de la mesa" ("The book is under the table"). The preposition is "debajo" ("under"), which indicates the book's spatial relationship with the table.

Another example is: "Ella lee una revista durante la clase" ("She reads a magazine during classtime"). Here, the preposition is "durante" ("during"), which indicates the temporal relationship between reading the magazine and classtime.

Here are other examples of the use of prepositions in Spanish:

• "Voy a la tienda a comprar pan" ("I'm going to the shop to buy bread")
• "El libro está debajo de la mesa" ("The book is under the table")
• "Estoy en casa con mi primo pequeño" ("I'm at home with my little cousin")
• "El libro de Juan está sobre la mesa" ("Juan's book is on the table")
• "Viajo de Madrid a Londres en avión" ("I am travelling from Madrid to London by plane")
• "Compré esa camiseta para ti" ("I bought that T-shirt for you")
• "La casa de mi abuela está entre dos árboles" ("My grandmother's house is between two trees")
• "Lograron el resultado mediante negociaciones tensas" ("They achieved the result through tense negotiations")
• "El lápiz está al lado del libro" ("The pencil is next to the book")
• "Caminamos por la plaza hasta el restaurante" ("We walked across the square to the restaurant")
• "Según el pronóstico, mañana va a llover" ("According to the forecast, it is going to rain tomorrow")

In conclusion, Spanish prepositions are an essential part of grammar and play a crucial role in effective communication. If you want to improve your Spanish, Enforex has immersive and intensive courses for all ages. Find yours and learn Spanish in Spain with us.