Spanish prepositions are short words that connect ideas: place, time, direction, company, cause, purpose, contrast, and exception. They often look simple, but they do not always match English word for word. Learn them in chunks like en casa, a la escuela, cerca de la estación, and a pesar de la lluvia.
Place: where something is
These prepositions describe position. Many Spanish place expressions end in de when they come before a noun.
- – In, on, at
- – On, over, about
- – Under, below
- – On top of
- – Between, among
- – Behind
- – Next to
- – Near
- – Far from
- Bajo – Under, below
- Delante de – In front of
- Dentro de – Inside
- Fuera de – Outside
Examples:
- Las llaves están en mi bolso. (The keys are in my bag.)
- El vaso está sobre la mesa. (The glass is on the table.)
- La farmacia está cerca de la estación. (The pharmacy is near the station.)
En and sobre can both translate as “on” in English, but they are not identical. Use en for general location and many surfaces; use sobre when you want to emphasize “on top of” or “about.”
Direction and movement
These prepositions appear with verbs like ir, venir, caminar, pasar, and viajar. They show destination, origin, direction, route, or path.
- – To, at
- – From, of
- – Toward
- – Through, across
- – Around
- – Along
- Desde – From, since
- Hasta – Until, up to
- Rumbo a – Heading toward
Examples:
- Voy a la escuela. (I go to school.)
- Vengo de Roma. (I come from Rome.)
- Caminamos hacia la puerta. (We walked toward the door.)
Use a when the destination is important: Voy a Madrid. Use hacia when the direction matters more than the final arrival: Camino hacia Madrid.
Time and topic
Some prepositions organize time, duration, and the subject of a conversation.
- – During
- – About
- Desde – Since, from
- Hasta – Until, up to
- Antes de – Before
- Después de – After
- Según – According to
Examples:
- No hables durante la clase. (Do not talk during class.)
- Hablamos acerca de los planes. (We talked about the plans.)
- Trabajo aquí desde enero. (I have worked here since January.)
With time, desde marks the starting point and hasta marks the ending point: desde las nueve hasta las cinco.
Company, absence, purpose, and cause
These very common prepositions help you explain who is involved, what is missing, why something happens, or what something is for.
- – With
- – Without
- – For, in order to
- – For, because of, through, by
Examples:
- Ceno con mi familia. (I have dinner with my family.)
- Salí sin paraguas. (I went out without an umbrella.)
- Este mensaje es para ti. (This message is for you.)
Por and para are one of the biggest challenges for English speakers. In beginner sentences, think of para as destination, recipient, or purpose, and por as reason, route, cause, or exchange.
Contrast, opposition, and exceptions
These prepositions connect ideas rather than physical places. They are useful when you explain limits, opposition, or exceptions.
- – Against
- – Despite
- – Except
- Frente a – Facing, in front of
- En vez de – Instead of
- Además de – Besides, in addition to
Examples:
- El equipo jugó contra los campeones. (The team played against the champions.)
- Salimos a pesar de la lluvia. (We went out despite the rain.)
- Todos vinieron excepto Tom. (Everyone came except Tom.)
These phrases are best learned as complete units. Do not separate a pesar de, en vez de, or además de when they introduce a noun or phrase.
Common mistakes
English speakers often make mistakes with Spanish prepositions because one English word can have several Spanish translations.
Using en for every “in,” “on,” or “at”
- Natural: Estoy en casa. (I am at home.)
- Natural: Voy a casa. (I am going home / to home.)
Dropping de in place phrases
- Incorrect: Estoy cerca la estación.
- Correct: Estoy cerca de la estación. (I am near the station.)
Confusing por and para
- Para: Este regalo es para Ana. (This gift is for Ana.)
- Por: Gracias por tu ayuda. (Thanks for your help.)
Translating about only as sobre
- Natural: Hablamos acerca de la reunión. (We talked about the meeting.)
- Also possible: Hablamos sobre la reunión. (We talked about the meeting.)
Quick practice patterns
- a + destination → a la oficina, a Madrid
- de + origin → de la oficina, de México
- en + location → en la oficina, en casa
- con + person → con Ana, con mis padres
- sin + thing → sin azúcar, sin dinero
- durante + event → durante la tarde, durante la clase
Prepositions become easier when you learn them in real phrases instead of isolated translations. Start with place and movement, then add time, cause, contrast, and common fixed expressions. The more complete sentence patterns you know, the less you will need to translate from English word by word.