Spanish prepositions are words that establish relationships between elements in a sentence, often indicating location, direction, time, manner, and other connections. Some of the most common prepositions in Spanish include en (in, on), a (to), por (for, by), para (for, to), con (with), sin (without), sobre (on, about), and entre (between). These words help link nouns, pronouns, and phrases together, providing clarity and context to the meaning of the sentence. For example, in the sentence “El libro está en la mesa” (“The book is on the table”), the preposition en indicates the book’s location. Understanding and correctly using prepositions is essential for speaking and writing Spanish accurately.
Here’s a list of the basic prepositions frequently used in everyday Spanish.
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- a – to, at
- ante – before (in front of)
- bajo – under, beneath
- con – with
- contra – against
- de – of, from
- desde – from, since
- durante – during
- en – in, on, at
- entre – between, among
- hacia – toward
- hasta – until, up to
- para – for, to, in order to
- por – for, by, through, because of
- según – according to
- sin – without
- sobre – on, over, about
- tras – after, behind
Example of sentences using prepositions
A (to, at)
- Vamos a la playa. (We are going to the beach.)
- Estaré a las 3 en casa. (I will be at home at 3.)
En (in, on, at)
- El gato está en la caja. (The cat is in the box.)
- Vivo en Madrid. (I live in Madrid.)
- Puse el libro en la mesa. (I put the book on the table.)
Por (for, by, through, because of)
- Caminamos por el parque. (We walk through the park.)
- Te lo haré por ti. (I will do it for you.)
- Por la mañana, siempre tomo café. (In the morning, I always drink coffee.)
Para (for, to, in order to)
- Este regalo es para ti. (This gift is for you.)
- Trabajo para vivir. (I work to live.)
- Estudio para aprender. (I study in order to learn.)
Con (with)
- Voy con mi hermana al cine. (I am going with my sister to the cinema.)
- Me gusta comer pizza con queso. (I like to eat pizza with cheese.)
Sin (without)
- No puedo vivir sin música. (I can’t live without music.)
- Quiero un café sin azúcar. (I want a coffee without sugar.)
Sobre (on, about)
- El libro está sobre la mesa. (The book is on the table.)
- Hablamos sobre el futuro. (We talk about the future.)
Entre (between, among)
- El parque está entre la escuela y el supermercado. (The park is between the school and the supermarket.)
- Hay una competencia entre los equipos. (There is a competition among the teams.)
Desde (since, from)
- Vivo aquí desde 2010. (I’ve lived here since 2010.)
- Empezó a llover desde las 5 de la tarde. (It started raining from 5 in the afternoon.)
Hasta (until, up to)
- Estoy esperando hasta las 7. (I’m waiting until 7.)
- Puedo quedarme hasta el final de la fiesta. (I can stay until the end of the party.)
Tras (after, behind)
- Tras la tormenta, salió el sol. (After the storm, the sun came out.)
- El perro está tras la puerta. (The dog is behind the door.)
Contra (against)
- Luchamos contra la injusticia. (We fight against injustice.)
- El coche está estacionado contra la pared. (The car is parked against the wall.)