What Are the Basic Spanish Prepositions for Beginners?

If you are just starting to learn Spanish, it is important to understand the basic prepositions. Prepositions are words that are used to connect nouns or pronouns to other words in a sentence. They are essential for expressing location, time, direction, and more. In Spanish, prepositions are used in much the same way as they are in English, although there are some differences in usage.

One of the most common Spanish prepositions is “a,” which is used to indicate movement or direction toward a place or person. For example, “Voy a la playa” means “I’m going to the beach.” Another important preposition is “de,” which is used to indicate possession or origin. For example, “Soy de Granada” means “I’m from Granada.”

Other common Spanish prepositions include “en,” which is used to indicate location or time, and “por,” which is used to indicate cause or motive. It’s important to note that prepositions can be tricky because they don’t always have direct, simple translations between languages and can often be translated differently depending on how they’re used.

List of Prepositions for Beginners

To help you better understand Spanish prepositions, here is a table of some of the most common prepositions and their meanings:

Preposition	Meaning
a	to, at
de	of, from
en	in, on, at
por	for, by, through
con	with
sin	without
para	to, for
desde	from, since
hasta	until, up to
entre	between

Sentence Examples in Spanish

Preposition	Meaning	Examples
a	to	Voy a la tienda. (I am going to the store.)
con	with	Aprendo español con una profesora de Buenos Aires. (I learn Spanish with a teacher from Bs. As.)
de	from	Nosotras somos de Estados Unidos. (We are from the USA)
de	of	El libro de Juan. (The book of Juan)
en	in	Place: La casa está en la calle principal. (The house is on the main street.) Time: Voy a la fiesta en una hora. (I am going to the party in an hour).
entre	between	La farmacia está entre el banco y la panadería. (The pharmacy is between the bank and the bakery)
para	for	Destination: Este libro es para tu hermano. (This book is for your brother) Purpose: Tengo que comprar un regalo para el cumpleaños de mi hermana. (I am buying a gift for my sister)
hasta	until	Limit: Voy a correr hasta el parque. (I am going to run until the park) Endpoint: Tenemos clases hasta diciembre. (We have lessons until December)
desde	since	Trabajo desde las 9 hasta las 6. (I work from 9 to 6)
por	for	Place: Caminamos por el casco antiguo. (We walked around the old part) Duration: Estoy estudiando por dos horas. (I am studying for two hours)
sin	without	Quiero un café sin azúcar, por favor. (I want a coffee without sugar, please)

→ All the uses of the preposition EN in Spanish with Examples

Contractions with Prepositions

When the prepositions “a” (to) or “de” (of or from) come before the definite article “el,” they combine with it to form a contraction. This is similar to how “am” and “is” combine with “not” to form “ain’t” in English.

Contraction with ‘a’

The contraction with “a” is “al.” This is used when “a” is followed by “el.” For example, “Voy a el parque” (I’m going to the park) would become “Voy al parque” (I’m going to the park).

Contraction with ‘de’

The contraction with “de” is “del.” This is used when “de” is followed by “el.” For example, “El libro de el niño” (The book of the boy) would become “El libro del niño” (The book of the boy).

It’s important to note that these contractions are only used when “a” or “de” are followed by “el.” They are not used when these prepositions are followed by any other article or pronoun. For example, “a la” and “a los” do not contract, nor do “de la,” “de los,” or “de ellas.”

By using these contractions, you can make your Spanish sound more natural and fluent. It’s important to practice using them correctly so that you can communicate effectively in Spanish.

Prepositions for Beginners in Spanish Practise

If you’re just starting to learn Spanish, it’s important to practise the basic prepositions that are used in everyday conversation. Here are some exercises that I created with the most commonly used prepositions in Spanish. Keep practising and soon you’ll be using them like a native speaker!

Common Mistakes in Using Prepositions

Despite being basic and essential in Spanish grammar, many learners make common mistakes when using prepositions. Here are some of the most common mistakes and how to avoid them:

1. Using the wrong preposition: One of the most common mistakes is using the wrong preposition. For example, using “a” instead of “en”. To avoid this mistake, it is important to learn the different meanings of each preposition and when to use them.

2. Using prepositions unnecessarily: Another common mistake is using prepositions unnecessarily. For example, saying “voy a para la tienda” instead of “voy a la tienda”. To avoid this mistake, it is important to know when to use a preposition and when it is not needed.

3. Confusing “por” and “para”: “Por” and “para” are two commonly confused prepositions. “Por” is used to indicate a cause or reason, while “para” is used to indicate a purpose or destination. To avoid this mistake, it is important to learn the different meanings of each preposition and when to use them.

4. Misusing “de”: “De” is a preposition that can have many different meanings depending on the context. One common mistake is using “de” to indicate possession, when “tener” or “ser” should be used instead. To avoid this mistake, it is important to learn the different meanings of “de” and when to use it.

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