Explanations of Spanish Prepositions
What are Prepositions?
Prepositions are relator words; that is, they indicate the relationship between other words. The simplest relationships are those between nouns, in regard to time and space. Relationships that are more complex involve verbs and adjectives as well as verbs and their objects. These usually must be learned one at a time. The explanation for their usage extends beyond the scope of even advanced language classes and belongs to the field known as historical linguistics, since prepositional usage results from the evolution of Latin into Spanish.
Memorizing Prepositions
The first step is to memorize the simple prepositions. Keep in mind that prepositional usage in Spanish is difficult to master for three reasons. First, because several have more than one solution in English, such as en, which can mean on, inside or even at. It is also difficult because two prepositions, namely por and para, translate into one English preposition, and (c), the usage for a given pronoun in English may not correspond to its dictionary counterpart in Spanish.
Note: When a pronoun is the object of a preposition, it assumes the prepositional case, which is the same as the nominative (subject) form, except for the first and second persons singular (mí and tí) and the reflexive object pronoun of the third person, singular and plural (si). Also with con, the forms are conmigo and contigo. Notice the contrast between con él, con ella, etc.(mere accompaniment) and consigo (with himself, herself, etc.).
List of Simple Prepositions
Simple Prepositions:
a: at, to
ante: before
bajo*: under
con: with
contra: against
de: of, from
desde: from, since
durante*: during
en: in, into, at, on
entre: among, between
excepto*: except
hacia: towards
hasta: until, to, up to
mediante*: be means of
para: for
por: for, by, through, along
salvo*: except, save
según: according to
sin: without
so: under (obsolete, archaic; therefore found in legal documents – so pena de muerte – on pain of death)
sobre: on, about
tras: after
Bajo is an adjective serving as a preposition; the others are of verbal origin: durar, exceptuar, medir, salvar.
Compound Prepositions
There are also compound prepositions, synonymous with some of the simple forms. The difference is that the compound forms tend to be locative (that is, they refer to place) whereas the simple ones tend to be figurative:
ante: before
delante de: in front of
tras: after
detrás de: after (behind)
bajo: under, beneath
debajo de: under, below
sobre: on, upon, over
encima de: on top of, over
In order to master the usage of the following compound prepositions, it is best to note them when encountered in reading articles or when heard in speech in order to distinguish the various situations in which one is more appropriate than another whose dictionary meaning may be identical.
adversamente a: adversely to
conforme a: according to
junto a: close to
relativamente a: in relation to
congruamente a: consistent with
contrario a: contrary to
tocante a: in (or with) regard to
correspondiente a: corresponding to
concerniente a: concerning
frente a: opposite to
respecto a: with respect to
acerca de: about, concerning
dentro de: within
además de: besides, in addition to
después de: after (time, order)
alrededor de: around
detrás de: behind, after (place)
antes de: before (time, order)
encima de: over, on top of
debajo de: under
lejos de: far from
delante de: before (place)
en cuanto a: as for
con tal de: provided that
a causa de: on account of
en frente de: in front of
a excepción de: with the exception of
en vez de: instead of
a fuerza de: by dint of
en virtud de: by virtue of
a través: across
por causa de: on account of
a menos de: unless
por razón de: by reason of
a pesar de: in spite of
sin embargo de: notwithstanding
References
- Author’s more than 20 years experience teaching and translating Spanish.
This post is part of the series: Parts of Speech
If you can classify words – the building blocks of language, it is easier to figure out what they are for & where they go in a sentence. Grammar teaches the proper arrangement of words, according to the idiom or dialect of any particular people…keep words in the right box: the Parts of Speech.
- Learning about the Parts of Speech: English and Spanish
- Definite and Indefinite Articles: English and Spanish
- Looking at Words that Describe: Spanish Adjectives
- Parts of Speech: Pronouns in English and in Spanish
- Parts of Speech: Nouns
- Parts of Speech: Prepositions in Spanish
- Parts of Speech: Guide to Prepositional Usage with Spanish Verbs
- Understanding Verbs in English and Spanish
- Let’s Learn about Adverbs in Spanish
- Using Conjunctions in Spanish: Words that Glue or Unglue a Sentence
- Using Interjections: Compare Spanish and English