Spanish Basic Prepositions: Complete A1 Beginner’s Guide
◄ Back to A1 Grammar Hub | Practice with Prepositions Quiz ►
Key Takeaways
- Master essential prepositions for everyday communication
- Understand location, direction, and time prepositions
- Learn common preposition combinations with verbs
- Practice with real-life scenarios and examples
Introduction to Spanish Prepositions
Prepositions are the small words that connect ideas and show relationships between people, places, and things. They tell us where something is, when something happens, or how things are connected. While some Spanish prepositions work like English, others have unique uses you’ll want to master early!
Essential Location Prepositions
en – in, on, at
- “El libro está en la mesa.” (The book is on the table.)
- “Vivo en Madrid.” (I live in Madrid.)
- “Estoy en casa.” (I’m at home.)
sobre – on, about, above
- “El vaso está sobre la mesa.” (The glass is on the table.)
- “Un libro sobre historia.” (A book about history.)
debajo de – under, below
- “El gato está debajo de la cama.” (The cat is under the bed.)
encima de – on top of
- “Las llaves están encima de la mesa.” (The keys are on top of the table.)
al lado de – next to, beside
- “Mi casa está al lado de la escuela.” (My house is next to the school.)
entre – between, among
- “Mi oficina está entre el banco y la farmacia.” (My office is between the bank and the pharmacy.)
delante de – in front of
- “El coche está delante de la casa.” (The car is in front of the house.)
detrás de – behind
- “El jardín está detrás de la casa.” (The garden is behind the house.)
Direction and Movement Prepositions
a – to, at
- “Voy a la escuela.” (I go to school.)
- “La reunión es a las tres.” (The meeting is at three.)
de – from, of
- “Soy de México.” (I’m from Mexico.)
- “La puerta de la casa.” (The door of the house.)
desde – from, since
- “Trabajo desde casa.” (I work from home.)
- “Estudio español desde enero.” (I’ve studied Spanish since January.)
hacia – toward
- “Caminamos hacia el parque.” (We walk toward the park.)
hasta – until, up to
- “Trabajo hasta las seis.” (I work until six.)
Time Prepositions
en – in (for months, years, seasons)
- “En enero” (in January)
- “En 2024″ (in 2024)
- “En verano” (in summer)
a – at (for specific times)
- “A las tres” (at three o’clock)
- “A la una” (at one o’clock)
de – from (time periods)
- “De la mañana” (in the morning)
- “De la tarde” (in the afternoon)
- “De la noche” (in the evening/night)
por – for, during, by
- “Estudio por la mañana.” (I study in the morning.)
- “Por la noche” (at night)
Common Verb + Preposition Combinations
ir a – to be going to (future)
- “Voy a estudiar.” (I’m going to study.)
pensar en – to think about
- “Pienso en mi familia.” (I think about my family.)
soñar con – to dream about
- “Sueño con viajar.” (I dream about traveling.)
casarse con – to marry
- “Se casa con María.” (He’s marrying Maria.)
acordarse de – to remember
- “Me acuerdo de ti.” (I remember you.)
Important Preposition Rules
Contractions:
a + el = al
- “Voy al cine.” (I go to the movies.)
de + el = del
- “El libro del profesor.” (The teacher’s book.)
No Contractions:
- a la (not ala)
- de la (not dela)
Common Usage Scenarios
Giving Directions:
- “Gira a la derecha.” (Turn to the right.)
- “Sigue hasta el semáforo.” (Continue until the traffic light.)
- “Está entre el banco y la farmacia.” (It’s between the bank and pharmacy.)
Daily Routine:
- “Me levanto a las siete.” (I get up at seven.)
- “Trabajo de lunes a viernes.” (I work from Monday to Friday.)
- “Estudio por la tarde.” (I study in the afternoon.)
Describing Your Home:
- “Vivo en un apartamento.” (I live in an apartment.)
- “Mi dormitorio está al lado de la cocina.” (My bedroom is next to the kitchen.)
- “El sofá está delante de la televisión.” (The sofa is in front of the TV.)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Don’t forget contractions – al cine, not a el cine
- Don’t use “en” for all locations – use specific prepositions
- Don’t confuse “por” and “para” – we’ll cover this in A2
- Don’t translate directly from English – Spanish prepositions have different uses
Quick Reference Chart
| Preposition | Main Uses | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| en | location, time | en casa, en enero |
| a | direction, time | a Madrid, a las tres |
| de | origin, possession | de España, el libro de Juan |
| con | with | con amigos |
| sin | without | sin dinero |
| sobre | on, about | sobre la mesa, sobre historia |
| entre | between | entre tú y yo |
Ready to Practice?
Now that you understand Spanish prepositions, it’s time to test your knowledge!
Take our Spanish Prepositions Quiz ► to practice location, direction, and time prepositions in context.
What’s Next in Your A1 Spanish Journey?
◄ Spanish Demonstrative Adjectives | Spanish Negation ►
Need More Detailed Information?
- For advanced usage: Complete Prepositions Guide ►
- For exam preparation: DELE A1 Prepositions Guide ►
Remember: Prepositions become natural with practice. Use them in your daily Spanish conversations, and soon you’ll choose the right ones automatically!
