Spanish lessons using verbs with prepositions. Simple prepositions and their use

Prepositions in Spanish– these are service parts of speech that serve to connect words in a sentence (see the article “conjunctions in Spanish”) and express the relationships between them. Since there are no cases in the Spanish language, the role of Spanish prepositions in this case increases significantly.

Prepositions in Spanish can be simple or complex. The Spanish language uses 18 simple prepositions, each of which we will consider separately. We will look at complex prepositions in Spanish in a separate article.

preposition a

1. The Spanish preposition “a” is used before the direct object and conveys relations corresponding to the accusative case in Russian:

Conosco a Juan - I know Juan

2. The preposition “a” is used before the indirect object and conveys relations corresponding to the dative case of the Russian language:

A quién da el lápiz Jorge? -Who does Jorge give the pencil to?

3. The preposition “a” has the meaning of a preposition of place and is placed after verbs denoting movement (ir, venir, etc.). The circumstances before which he is confronted answer the question Where? Where?

El va a la tienda - he goes to the store

Estamos sentados a la mesa - we are sitting at the table

4. Has the meaning of the preposition of time in Spanish; the circumstances preceded by the Spanish preposition "a" then answer the question When?

El tren de Kiev vendrá a las ocho - the train from Kyiv will arrive at 8 o'clock

5. Denotes a measure of value (the circumstances before which it is posed answer the question How many?)

Tenemos pagar a dos euros - we have to pay 2 euros each

6. Indicates a course of action (corresponds to the question How? how?)

A pie - on foot

A toda prisa - hastily

7. Sometimes it denotes an instrument of action, the circumstance answers the question how? and corresponds to the instrumental case in Russian:

Le golpearon a cordelazos – he was beaten with a rope

8. In infinitive phrases:

Al pasar - passing

Al salir - going out

9. Before an infinitive that has an imperative form:

A trabajar - to work!

A comer - eat!

In Russian, the following prepositions correspond to the Spanish preposition “a”: in, to, on, on, at.

preposition ante

The preposition ante is a preposition of place and denotes the location of an object in front of or opposite something:

El estaba ante de mi hermano - he stands in front of my brother

In Spanish there is the adverb antes and the prepositional phrase antes de, which denote the time before an event - they should not be confused with the preposition ante, which we discussed.

Often in colloquial speech delante de is preferred to the preposition ante.

In Russian, the Spanish preposition ante corresponds to the prepositions “before” and “opposite”

preposition bajo

1. The preposition bajo is a preposition of place in Spanish and answers the question under what?

El lápiz cayó bajo la mesa - the pencil fell under the table

In colloquial speech, the preposition bajo is replaced by the phrase de bajo de.

2. In some cases, a preposition expresses a cause, effect or condition:

Lo hará bajo tu responsabilidad - he will do it under your responsibility

In Russian, the Spanish preposition bajo corresponds to the preposition “under”.

preposition con

1. The preposition con in Spanish indicates the instrument of action (in this case, the turnover with this preposition answers the question how and in Russian it corresponds to the instrumental case without a preposition): Dibujan con lapices - they draw with pencils

2. Indicates a joint action (in this case, the turnover with the preposition con answers the question with whom?/with what? and in Russian it corresponds to the instrumental case with a preposition): voy con mi amigo - I’m going with my friend

3. Indicates a course of action (in this case, this circumstance with the preposition con answers the question How?, and in Russian it corresponds to the instrumental case with the preposition “c”): ella le miraba con temor - she looked at him with fear.

The Spanish preposition con corresponds to the preposition "c".

preposition contra

1. The Spanish preposition contra indicates the object against which the action is directed:

Luchamos contra la guerra - we fight against war

2. Indicates the object that the subject we are describing collided with:

El avión estrelló contra la tierra - the plane crashed (from impact) on the ground

In Russian, the Spanish preposition contra corresponds to the preposition “against”.

preposition de

1. The Spanish preposition de characterizes relations that correspond to the genitive case in Russian. In these cases he:

a) indicates belonging to someone or something:

Este libro es de Juan - this book of Juan

b) indicates the substance from which the object is made:

La caja de madera - wooden box

c) indicates a sign or quality of an object:

La máquina de escribir - the typing machine (typewriter)

d) indicates a proper name, which refers to a common noun:

El mes de agosto hace calor - it’s hot in (the month of) August

2. The preposition de is used before circumstances and indicates:

a) to place (starting point):

el tren de Kiev vendrá a las ocho - the train from Kyiv will arrive at 8 o'clock

b) for a while: de noche – at night

3. In stable expressions: de pronto - suddenly

4. Indicates the subject of the statement (in Russian it corresponds to the prepositional case): el habla del fútbol - he talks about football

The following prepositions correspond to the Spanish preposition de in Russian: from, from, s, o.

preposition desde

The Spanish preposition desde indicates the starting point of movement or the initial period of time: desde Kiev - from Kyiv; desde septiembre - from September

In Russian, the preposition desde corresponds to the prepositions “iz” and “s”.

preposition en

1. The preposition en in Spanish serves as a preposition of place and indicates a position inside something or in some place: Ella está en Kiev - it is located in Kyiv

2. The Spanish preposition en is a preposition of time: Hace calor en verano aqui - it’s hot here in the summer

3. The preposition en is also used in terminological phrases when naming a specialty: especialista en dermatología - specialist in dermatology

4. In addition, the preposition en indicates a means of transportation: en avión - on an airplane

The preposition en in Russian corresponds to 2 prepositions: “in” and “on”.

preposition entre

The preposition entre in Spanish is a preposition of place or time indicating:

a) to an intermediate position in space or time: entre Kiev y Barcelona - between Kiev and Barcelona; entre las dos y las tres - between 2 and 3 o'clock;

b) for an indefinite localization: entre los hombres - among men.

In Russian, the analogues of the Spanish preposition entre are the prepositions “between” and “among”.

preposition hacia

1. The preposition hacia in Spanish is a preposition of place or time and indicates approaching something in space or time or the approximate indication of space or time:

Voy hacia el centro de Kiev – I am walking (approaching) the center of Kyiv

Ellos llegarán hacia las tres - they will come at three o'clock

2. A preposition can also indicate the object of feeling:

Ella siente un amor hacia los animales - she feels love for animals

In Russian, the Spanish preposition hacia corresponds to the preposition “to” and the dative case.

preposition hasta

1. The preposition hasta in Spanish indicates a limit in space or time:

El sendero conduce hasta el bosque - the path leads to (the) forest

esperamos hasta las tres - we are waiting for three hours

2. The preposition hasta can mean the end or limit of an action:

Lucharemos hasta la victoria - we will fight until victory

The preposition hasta in Spanish has a corresponding preposition “to” in Russian.

preposition para

1. The preposition para indicates the purpose of the action or for whom it is performed:

El escribe para Ana - he writes for Anna

Tenemos preparar para el viaje – we must prepare for the journey

In these cases, a synonym for the preposition para is the preposition a, which can replace it depending on the context.

2. Sometimes the preposition para can indicate the limit or end of an action:

Tengo una hora para mi vuelo desde Kiev – I have an hour (of time) before my flight from Kyiv

3. The preposition para can be used before circumstances:

a) places: el avión vuele para Argentina – the plane flies to Argentina

b) time: acabamos estudiar para el viernes - we finish studying on Friday

c) goals: para organizar el curso de lecciónes de lengua española en Kiev necesitamos un mes – to organize a course of Spanish lectures in Kyiv, we need one month

4. The preposition para indicates the purpose of something: el papel para copias - copy paper (copy paper)

The following prepositions correspond to the Spanish preposition para in Russian: for, to, in, to, on.

preposition por

1. The preposition por in Spanish is used before circumstances:

a) places: pasear por el jardin - stroll through the garden

b) time: salgo por un momento – I’ll go out for a minute

c) reasons: por esta causa - for this reason

d) goals: por no atrasar - in order to keep up

e) method or mode of action: hablo por telefono - I’m talking on the phone

2. The preposition por indicates the object for the sake of which the action is performed: luchar por su independencia - to fight for one’s independence

3. Used with verbs comprar, vender, pagar etc(buy, sell, pay, etc.): comprar por 100 euros – buy for 100 euros

4. When pointing at an object on which some action is being performed: agarrar por los pelos - grab the hair

5. When expressing an attitude towards something: indiferencia por el fútbol - indifference to football

In Russian, the Spanish preposition por corresponds to the following prepositions: for, by, to, before and the instrumental case of the noun to which they refer.

preposition según

The preposition según in Spanish indicates correspondence to something:

según el horario – according to the schedule

según mi opinion - in my opinion

In Russian, its analogue is “according to” or “in accordance”

preposition sin

1. The Spanish preposition sin indicates an object without which the action is performed:

trabajar sin descanso – work without rest

2. Indicates the nature of the action or state:

sin confusión - without embarrassment; sin temor - without fear

In Russian, the preposition sin corresponds to the preposition “without”.

preposition so

In Spanish, the preposition so does not occur independently, but is part of set expressions: so pena de - on pain of something; so pretexto de - under the pretext of something.

preposition sobre

1. The preposition sobre indicates the position of an object above or above something:

el lápiz está sobre la mesa - the pencil is on the table

2. Indicates the subject of speech: hablamos sobre los todos - we are talking about everyone

3. Indicates the object against which the action is directed:

El repro se ha lanzado sobre el gato - the dog attacked the cat

4. Expresses an approximate number or quantity of something:

Tengo sobre quarenta euros – I have about 40 euros

The following prepositions correspond to the Spanish preposition sobre in Russian: on, above, about, about.

preposition tras

The preposition tras in Spanish indicates the position of an object behind or following something (in space or time):

tras de puerta - behind the door

tras la primavera viene el verano – after spring comes summer

The Spanish preposition tras is rarely used on its own; instead, I often use the prepositional phrase detrás de. In Russian it corresponds to the prepositions “for”, “behind” and “after”.

This concludes the review of simple Spanish prepositions, and in the next article we will look at

Since the prepositions a and de are so common in Spanish, it's worth taking a closer look at their most basic functions. Surely, after reading the last few lessons, you have accumulated some misunderstandings related to their use. In this topic, we set ourselves the task of filling potential gaps and avoiding common mistakes in the future. Let's look at both prepositions in order.

Preposition "a"

The preposition a has two very important functions. We have already encountered the first one more than once and should already be well accustomed to it. This is the direction of action on a person.

Escucho música - I listen to music
but: Escucho a mi papá - I listen to my dad

Pido la cuenta al camarero - I ask the waiter for the bill
Compramos regalos a los niños— We buy gifts for children

Verbs, however, can be very different. But if some other preposition besides a is used after the verb, then a must already be absent.

Hablo con el profesor - I'm talking to the teacher
Compro un regalo para Maria - I buy a gift for Maria

The second main use of the preposition a is the direction of movement.

Yo voy al colegio - I'm going to school
Mi marido vuelve a casa - My husband is coming home

We met similar sentences in lesson 11, but did not explain the presence of the preposition a. Now you can remember this case as a rule: If we are talking about moving somewhere (we walk, run, swim, fly in some direction), then before the destination we must put the preposition a.

Remember and don't confuse:

If we are Somewhere, we put the preposition en.
If we are heading somewhere, we put the preposition a.

Estoy en casa - I'm at home
Voy a casa - I'm going home

José vive en Madrid – José lives in Madrid
José viaja a Madrid - José goes to Madrid

El sábado mis padres vuelan a Tenerife— On Saturday my parents are flying to Tenerife

Don't say: Voy en casa

I am going to the shop
In the summer we are going to Barcelona

To ask the question “Where are you going?”, you also need the preposition a before the question word.

What do you think?
- Where are you going?

Voy al museo - I'm going to the museum

Don't confuse the question:
¿Dónde?

- Where?

¿A donde?

- Where?
By the way, it often happens that the question ¿A dónde?

they write together, so if in some text you come across ¿Adónde? , don't take this as a mistake. You can get used to writing the way you like.
Say in Spanish:

Where are you going on Friday?

On Friday I'm going to the village

Where are you going tonight?

We're going to the cinema tonight
A peculiar exception to these rules can be considered the verb entrar - to enter. It must be accompanied by the preposition en.

¿A donde?

Entro en la habitación - I enter the room
Another verb that can be a little confusing is poner - to put. While in Russian it answers the question “Put where?”, in Spanish it is customary to say “Put where?”. Accordingly, the preposition a is not used with it.

¿Dónde pones la ropa?
-Where do you put your clothes?

Pongo la ropa en el armario - I put my clothes in the closet

Where do you put your books?

I put books on the shelf

La clase de español - Spanish lesson (who? what?)
La abuela de Miguel - Miguel's grandmother
¿De quién es el lápiz?

- Whose pencil is this?

Sometimes the preposition de followed by a noun acts as a modifier. That is, they give a definition to an object, like an adjective. In Russian, such combinations are very often translated as adjectives. To understand everything that has just been said, let’s look at examples.
mesa de madera - wooden table (literally: table made of wood)
hoja de papel - sheet of paper (or sheet of paper)
tarea de casa - homework

noche de verano - summer night

Due to the fact that definitions are denoted by words that are not unique in their kind, but convey some general concepts, in these cases the article is not used.
noche de verano - just a summer night

noche del verano - night of a specific summer
moneda de oro - gold coin

moneda del oro - a coin made of that very specific gold
papel de pared - wallpaper (literally: wall paper or wall paper)

papel de la pared - paper or wallpaper of a specific wall

Say it yourself:
Ricardo's house
Spring flowers
Clothing store
Kitchen Cabinet

Whose gold coin is this?

Let's move on to the second very important and simple function of the preposition de, when it means “from”. Once again, let's look at examples that are well known to us.
Soy de Rusia - I'm from Russia El lunes Javier vuelve de Argentina

— Javier returns from Argentina on Monday

Accordingly, in the question “where from?” the preposition de must also appear.
¿De donde eres?

- Where are you from?

Don't confuse the question:
¿De donde vuelve Javier?
—Where does Javier come from?

Summarizing all that has been said, we can observe the presence of three interrogative forms with the word dónde.

¿A donde? - Where?
¿De donde? - Where?

Say it yourself in Spanish:
Pedro works in a pharmacy

Where does Pedro work?
Pedro goes to the pharmacy every day

Where does Pedro go every day?

Pedro leaves the house at six in the morning
Where does Pedro come from at six in the morning?
The preposition de, among other things, can often mean "about". Película de amor - A film about love

¿A donde?

Leo un libro de aventuras - I'm reading a book about adventures
Este artículo es de la historia de España

— This article is about the history of Spain
What is this book about?

This book is about war
What is this film about?

This film is about a boy who lives in New York

Ejercicios
Exercises

1. Mañana voy…Málaga; 2. Ahora estoy...Granada; 3. Mi marido vuelve... casa muy tarde; 4. Los señores García no están…casa; 5. ¿Cuándo viajas…Chile? 6. Tengo un billete de avión... Cuba; 7. Cristina vive... Paraguay; 8. ¿…dónde vas? 9. Trabajamos...una empresa pequeña; 10. Mis amigos me invitan... una fiesta.

Ejercicio 2
There are errors in some sentences, please correct them.

1. Voy en el colegio cada día; 2. Maria estudia a la universidad; 3. ¿Vas a España en verano? 4. ¿Cuándo viajáis en Australia? 5. Estamos a casa; 6. Roberto y Carlos llegan en el trabajo muy tarde; 7. Escuchamos al profesor en la clase de inglés; 8. ¿Estáis en Russia? 9. Mi amiga me invita en un concierto de rock; 10. ¿En donde vas por las tardes?

Ejercicio 3
Translate sentences into Spanish

1. I listen to the teacher carefully; 2. I don't listen to the radio in the morning; 3. Grandmother reads a book to her grandson; 4. Maria looks at Carlos; 5. I don't see your car; 6. I don't see Elisa; 7. We don't understand grammar; 8. We don't understand our parents; 9. The boss explains the task to the secretary; 10. The students ask the teacher.

Ejercicio 4
Correct the mistakes in each sentence

1. No veo Marcos en el dormitorio; 2. Escuchamos a la radio cada día; 3. Maria llama su padre por las tardes; 4. José comprende su profesor; 5. Invitamos nuestros amigos a la fiesta; 6. No escribo cartas mis padres; 7. El director explica la secretaria el trabajo para el día; 8. La mamá compra a un caramelo el niño; 9. Susana canta Marcos una canción; 10. Ramiro visita los museos en Barcelona; 11. Ramiro visita su amigo en Barcelona.

Preposition de

Ejercicio 5
Translate sentences from Spanish into Russian

1. Dia de fiesta; 2. La novia de Ramón es muy guapa; 3. Estas flores son del bosque; 4. La gente de Cuba es morena; 5. Salgo de casa muy temprano; 6. Roberto vuelve de Portugal el jueves; 7. Este jarrón de porcelana es muy caro; 8. ¿De qué es esa camisa? - La camisa es de algodón; 9. ¿De donde viene tu padre? - Mi padre viene de la playa; 10. ¿De qué es la película? - La película es de amor.

Ejercicio 6
Answer the questions

1. ¿Es de vidrio el vaso? - Sí, ... ; 2. ¿Son de aventura los libros? - No, ... ; 3. ¿Eres de Córdoba? - No, ... ; 4. Son ricos los abuelos de Susana? - Sí, ... ; 5. ¿Está fría la sopa de tomate? - Sí, ... ; 6. ¿Los bombones de chocolate cuestan diez euros? - Sí, ... ; 7. ¿Sois de Moscú? - Sí, ... ; 8. ¿Es bonita la poesía de Federico García Lorca? - Sí, ... ; 9. Son de cuero los bolsos? - No, ... ; 10. ¿Es grande tu casa de campo? - No,...

Ejercicio 7
Translate into Spanish

1. Where does your brother return from? — My brother is returning from France; 2. What are these trousers made of? — These trousers are made of cotton; 3. Do you have a country house? - Yes, I have a country house; 4. Are there car factories in Spain? — Yes, there are car factories in Spain; 5. What time do you leave the office? — I leave the office at six in the evening; 6. Where does David’s father work? — David’s father works at a chocolate factory; 7. Where are you going on Monday? — On Monday I’m going to Finland; 8. What does the teacher explain to the students? — The teacher explains homework to the students; 9. Who do you call at eight in the morning? — I call my friend at eight in the morning; 10. Whose house is this? - This is the house of the director of our company.

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Detalles Category: Prepositions

In Spanish, prepositions express cases. In addition, many verbs are used only in combination with certain prepositions.

Basic prepositions:

	V; on (when indicating the direction of movement, answering the question: where?)

	with (who? what?)
	indicates the ownership of an object or person, answering the questions: whose? whose? from - when designating a place as the starting point of movement; o - when designating a person, object, phenomenon that represents the object of conversation, reflection (to talk about something - hablar de algo)
	s, from... (when indicating time and distance)
	in, on (to indicate a place, answering the question: where?)
	until (to indicate a limit of time or space)
	for (who? what?)
	by, through

	on (who? what?)
	after; behind (what? who?)

Merging articles and prepositions

In the Spanish language there is such a thing as the merging of masculine definite articles and prepositions.

This rule is correct only for definite articles and for prepositions a And de:

definite article el+ preposition A = al

Definite article el+ preposition de = del

Vuelven al trabajo a la una de la tarde. - They return to work at one o'clock in the afternoon.
Vamos al campo y volvemos a la ciudad mañana. – We are going to the village and returning to the city tomorrow.
El profesor no contesta a la pregunta del estudiante. – The teacher does not answer the student’s question.
Es uno de los mejores escritores del siglo XIX. – This is one of the best writers of the 19th century.

The preposition a is translated into Russian as “in, at, to, for, by” depending on the sentence and is used:

After verbs of motion:

	go, go somewhere
	to come, to arrive somewhere
	to come, to arrive somewhere
	travel somewhere
	go, go somewhere

Hoy vamos al cine. – Today we are going to the cinema.
Cada año viajo a Spain. – Every year I travel to Spain.
Vengo a Casa a las 11 de la mañana. – I come home at 11 am.

When indicating time: when, what time:

Cada jueves cenamos a las 22 de la noche. – Every Thursday we have dinner at 10 pm.
Tengo clase a las 15 de la tarde. – I have classes at 3 pm.

Placed before animate nouns when answering the question “Who?”, “To whom?”:

¿Invito a los chicos? - Should I invite the guys?
Veo a Pili todos los días. – I meet Pili every day.

¿Le doy el libro a Maria? – I give the book to Maria.
Debo contestar a Todos los usuarios. – I must respond to all users.

When answering the questions “For what?”, “For what purpose?”:

Vengo a hablar de tu comportamiento. - I come (for what?) to talk about your behavior.

In stable combinations that answer the question “How?”:

No soporto las citas a ciegas. – I can’t stand blind dates.
¿Vamos a casa a pie? - Shall we walk home?
Este chisme está hecho al tuntun. – This thing was made at random (at random).

The preposition de is translated into Russian as “from, with, in, from, about, by, because of” depending on the sentence and is used:

When answering the questions “Who?”, “What?”, “Whose?”:

Tengo la guitarra de Pedro. – I have a guitar (who?) Pedro.
Son las cosas de Juan. – These are the things of (who?) Juan.

When you want to indicate that a thing is made of something:

He comprado una nueva mesa de madera. – I bought a new wooden table (a table made of wood).
¿Me puedes dar aquella caja de plastic? -Can you give me that plastic box over there?

Designation of the starting point of movement ("from", "where from?"):

Venimos de casa. - We come from home.
Salgo de Moscú manana. – I’m leaving Moscow tomorrow.

And with other verbs meaning “from”:

Soy de Madrid. - I'm from Madrid.

The preposition de is often translated into Russian as “o”, i.e. talk about something, etc.:

Hablamos de nuestras aventuras. – We are talking about our adventures.
Estoy leyendo un libro de filosofía. – I’m reading a book about philosophy.

The preposition con is usually translated into Russian as “with”:

Vivo con mis amigos. – I live with my friends.
Hablamos con el director. - We are talking with the director.
Tráigame, por favor, un café con helado. - Bring me some coffee and ice cream, please.

In phrases answering the question “How?”, “In what way?”, “With what?”:

Te ayudaré con placer. - I will help you with pleasure.
¿Siempre comes con apetito? – Do you always eat with appetite?

The preposition en is translated as “in, on, by, at” and is used:

1. When designating a place:

Mi amigo trabaja en la oficina. – My friend works in an office.
Quedamos en la cafetería de al lado. – We’ll meet at a cafe nearby.

2. When indicating time:

En dos horas estamos en casa. - We'll be home in two hours.
En agosto me voy a Italia a ver a mi novio. – In August I will go to Italy to visit my boyfriend.

3. When designating a vehicle:

Siempre viajo en avión porque los trenes me dan miedo. – I always travel by plane because I am afraid of trains.
¿Vamos en coche? - Shall we go by car?

The preposition hacia is translated as “to, around” and indicates approaching some place or time:

Siempre sale y va hacia el centro. “He always comes out and walks towards the center.
¿Nos vemos hacia las tres? – Meet around three?

The preposition sin is translated into Russian as “without”:

¿Esperamos un poco o vamos sin tus amigos? – Shall we wait a little or go without your friends?
Parece que viene sin ganas. “It seems like he came reluctantly.”

In phrases with an infinitive it is translated into Russian as a negative participial phrase:

Trabajo todo el día sin comer. – I work all day without eating.
Se ha ido sin mirarme siquiera. “He left without even looking at me.”

The preposition sobre translates as “on, above, about, about.”

1. Indicates the location - on or above any surface:

Las llaves están sobre la mesa. - The keys are on the table.
Estamos volando sobre Spain. – We are flying over Spain.

2. Indicates an approximate number, quantity, measure of something:

Tellamo sobre las 7 de la tarde, ¿vale? – I’ll call you around 7 pm, okay?
Ghana sobre dos mil euros al mes. – He receives about 2 thousand euros a month.

3. Indicates what or regarding what we are talking about and is equal to the Russian “o”:

¿Me compras algún libro sobre economy? – Will you buy me some book about economics?
Cuentame algo sobre tu vida. – Tell me something about your life.

Translated as “until some place or time”:

La tienda está abierta hasta las 21 de la tarde. – The store is open until 9 pm.
¿Caminemos hasta la plaza? - Let's walk to the square?

Takes on the role of an intensifying particle and is translated into Russian by the word “even”:

Hasta Yo no aguanto tanta presión. “Even I can’t stand that kind of pressure.”
Hasta El Corte Inglés está cerrado hoy. – Even el Corte Inglés is closed today.

The preposition desde is translated as “from, from, with.”

1. Indicates the circumstance of the place:

Me saluda desde el train. – He greets me from the train.
Desde la ventana se ve el arcoiris. - You can see a rainbow from the window.

2. Used in combination with the preposition hasta and indicates a time period or distance:

Desde las 8 de la mañana hasta las 3 de la tarde estoy en la oficina. – From 8 am to 3 pm I am in the office.
Desde El mar hasta las montañas no hay nada. - There is nothing from the sea to the mountains.

3. In combination, desde hace indicates the duration of an action:

Vivo aquí desde hace un año. - I've been living here for a year.
Trabajo en esta empresa desde hace dos años. – I have been working in this company for 2 years.

The preposition ante is translated as “before, opposite” and indicates the location of something in front of something or someone:

Debes comparer ante tu jefe. “You must appear before your superior.”
Estamos ante la puerta. - We are in front of the door (opposite the door).

A complete list of simple prepositions in Spanish: a, ante, bajo, con, contra, de, desde, durante, en, entre, excepto, hacia, hasta, mediante, para, por, salvo, según, sin, sobre, tras, vía.*

*Note 1. In literary works of past centuries, especially in poetry, the preposition was often used cabe, which meant close, about. It has now completely fallen out of use.

Note 2. In the traditional list of prepositions there is a preposition so, which is now used only in established expressions: so pena de on pain of something, so pretexto de /so capa de /so color de under the pretext of something.

Almost all simple prepositions in Spanish can be divided into several groups according to the meaning they give to the expression they define:

However, all of the prepositions listed have other meanings.

Pretext A

The most ambiguous preposition. Indicates:

Mañana mi amiga va a Petersburgo. - Tomorrow my friend is leaving for St. Petersburg.
Llegué a casa muy tarde. - I came home very late.

2. time, frequency:

La función empezará a las siete. - The performance will begin at seven o'clock.
Tenemos las clases de español tres veces a la semana. - Three times a week we have Spanish classes.

3. age:

Ingresé en la Universidad a los dieciocho años. - I entered university at 18 years old.
Pedro se casó a los treinta años. - Pedro got married at 30.

4. date designation:

Estamos a primero de julio. - Today is July 1st.

5. price, measure of value:

La carne está a tres pesos el kilo. - A kilogram of meat costs three pesos.
¿A cuánto están esos melocotones? - How much are these peaches worth?

6. Used before a direct object if it names a person or personified concept:

Busco a Pedro con mirada. - I look for Pedro.
Amamos a la patria. - We love our Motherland.

But: after the verb tener pretext A not put:

Tengo una hermana. - I have one sister.

7. if the animal has a name, or we are talking about your own animal:

Mi amiga me dejó a su gata al ir de vacaciones. - My friend left me her cat when she went on vacation.

8. before the indirect object:

Leo a mi nieta un relato muy interesante. - I am reading an interesting fairy tale to my granddaughter.
Pedro presta a María su boligrafo. - Pedro gives Maria his pen.

9. when indicating a location:

A gran distancia de aquí está el ferrocarril. - There is a railway at a great distance from here.
Vamos a encontrarnos a la entrada del cine. - Let's meet at the entrance to the cinema.

a la derecha / a la izquierda right left
a la maravilla wonderful
a largo / corto plaza long term/short term
a pie / a caballo on foot / on horseback
a oscuras in the dark
a tiempo during
al revés vice versa
a toda price hastily

Abrió la puerta a oscuras, no había luz en el pasillo. - There was no light in the corridor, and he opened the door in the dark.
Vive muy cerca de su trabajo, por eso va a pie. - She lives close to work and walks.

11. to express action in the near future futuro próximo:

Mañana voy a descansar. - Tomorrow I will rest.
¿Vas a viajar este verano a algún país extranjero? - Will you be traveling to any foreign country this summer?

12. before the infinitive in the meaning of order:

¡A callar! - Be silent!
¡A trabajar! - Get to work!

13. In many paraphrases (see “ Paraphrases with infinitive »):

Volvió a mirarme con sorpresa. - He looked at me again in surprise.
Se puso a estudiar derecho a los cuarenta años. - He began studying law when he was 40 years old.

14. as part of a verb construction al+ infinitive, as a replacement for the subordinate clause of time (see “ Infinitive constructions replacing subordinate clauses »):

Llegamos al pueblo al atardecer. - We arrived at the village when it got dark.
Al escuchar la noticia, me sorprendí mucho. - When I heard this news, I was very surprised.

Pretext A obligatory when using many verbs (see “ Using prepositions with verbs »).

pretext ante

This preposition is translated depending on the context and performs an adversative-concessive function (indicates some situation or reason that prompted this or that decision):

Ante tus razones es imposible replicar nada. - It is impossible to object to your arguments.
Ante esta situación, si no puedes cambiar nada, tienes que aguantar. - In this situation, if you cannot change anything, you must endure.
No se rendió ante las dificultades y siguió luchando. - He did not give up in the face of difficulties and continued to fight.

A complex preposition is used to indicate location delante de before anything, and in the temporary meaning - antes de until some point.

pretext bajo

1. Corresponds to the Russian preposition pod in the meaning of the location of one object below another:

Tu lápiz cayó bajo la mesa. - Your pencil fell under the table.
El gato duerme bajo la butaca. - The cat is sleeping under the chair.

2. Indicates submission to someone:

Está bajo las órdenes de su mujer. - He submits to his wife.
Todos los empleados están bajo las órdenes de su jefe. - All employees report to their boss.

3. Indicates a historical era, situation and is translated depending on the context:

Bajo Felipe II el Imperio español se convirtió en la principal potencia europea. - Under Philip II, the Spanish Empire became a major European power.
Bajo la dirección de Pedro Almodóvar se rodea una película nueva. - Director Pedro Almodóvar is making a new film.
Está todo bajo el control. - Everything's under control.

pretext con

Its main meaning:

1. Indicates an instrument and means:

Escribo con mi pluma. - I write with a pen.
Se ha quemado con el agua hirviente. - He was burned by boiling water.
Juan me convenció con sus argumentos. - Juan convinced me with his arguments.

2. Names the course of action:

Me miró con alegría. - He looked at me joyfully.
Cuente con detalle toda su vida. - Tell me your whole life in detail.

3. Indicates joint participation or accompaniment with someone:

Habló conmigo muy amable. - He spoke to me very kindly.
Seremos cuatro. María llegará con Carmen. - There will be four of us. Maria will come with Carmen.

4. Links the defined object to the definition:

El desayuno es: café con leche y tostada con mantequilla y queso. - For breakfast, coffee with milk and toast with butter and cheese.
Hago la tortilla con patatas. - I'm making an omelette with potatoes.
Esta camisa con bolsillos no es muy cara. - This shirt with pockets is not very expensive.

5. Indicates the object with which the collision occurred:

El niño cayó tropezando con una piedra. - The child fell, tripping over a stone.
El avión sufrió una avería chocando con la montaña. - The plane crashed after colliding with a mountain.

6. Used in infinitive constructions, replacing the subordinate clause (see “ Infinitive constructions replacing subordinate clauses »):

Con hacer mucho calor, tengo que ir de compras. - Although it's very hot, I have to go shopping.

7. Mandatory when using some verbs, as well as adjectives (see “ Using prepositions with verbs" And " Using prepositions with adjectives »).

pretext contra

8. Indicates the object against which the action is directed; is translated into Russian by the preposition against:

El médico me recetó la medicina contra la tos. - The doctor prescribed me an anti-cough medicine.
Levantaron al niño temprano contra sus deseos. - The child was raised early against his wishes.

9. on the object that the subject of the action encounters; translated in this case by Russian prepositions o/o/k or V:

Se despedía de los dueños apoyándose contra la puerta. - He said goodbye to the owners, leaning against the door.
Los niños echaron las piedras contra la ventana de su amigo para llamarle a pasear. - Children threw pebbles at a friend's window to invite him to go for a walk.

This preposition is often found surrounded by prepositions en And de:

Algunos diputados votaron en contra de la ley nueva. - Some deputies voted against the new law.

pretext de

One of the most frequently used and ambiguous prepositions; in most cases corresponds to the meaning of the Russian genitive case. Its main meanings:

1. Indicates that an object or person belongs to someone or something.

Este sombrero es de mi abuela. - This is my grandmother's hat.
Estos cigarrillos son de papá. - These are daddy's cigarettes.

2. Statement of origin:

Nuestro profesor es de España. - Our teacher is from Spain.
Somos de un pueblo de la provincia de Madrid. - We are from a small town, from the province of Madrid.

3. Indicates the starting point of movement:

El tren va de Valencia. - The train departs from Valencia.
Los estudiantes salen del aula. - Students leave the classroom.

4. Indicates profession:

Es ingeniero de profesión. - He is an engineer by profession.
Juan trabaja de economista en un ministerio. - Juan works as an economist at the ministry.

5. Indicates the material from which the item is made:

Es una mesa de madera. - This is a wooden table.
Me gusta mucho mi falda de lana. - I really love my wool skirt.

6. Indicates the attribute or quality of an object:

Tengo un buen diccionario de sinónimos y antónimos. - I have a good dictionary of synonyms and antonyms.
María quiere comprarse esta blusa de seda de color rosa. - Maria wants to buy herself this pink silk blouse.

7. Indicates the reason:

Temblaba de miedo. - She was shaking with fear.
Está loco de amor. - He goes crazy with love.

8. Indicates the topic of the statement. Here's a pretext de corresponds to the Russian prepositional case:

Hablamos de la filosofía. - We talked about philosophy.
Los hinchas hablan del último juego de su equipo preferido. - Fans talk about the latest game of their favorite team.

9. Indicates the time and manner of action. Often used in adverbial phrases with these meanings:

De noche hay que dormir. - You need to sleep at night.
Me volvió de espaldas. - He turned his back to me.

Other adverbial phrases with prepositions de:

de día during the day
de este modo / de esta mannera Thus
de memory by heart
de momento at present
de paso passing by, passing by
de pie standing

El profesor siempre está de pie en la clase. - The teacher always stands in class.
A mi padre le gustaba mucho la poesía y sabía de memoria muchos versos. - My dad loved poetry very much and knew many poems by heart.

10. Indicates a part of the whole:

Quiero comprar un kilo de naranjas. - I want to buy a kilo of oranges.
El hombre bebió un vaso de agua. - The man drank a glass of water.

11. Used in several constructions - paraphrases (see “ Paraphrases with infinitive »):

No dejes de enviarme este libro. - Be sure to send me this book.

12. Used in independent and dependent infinitive constructions, replacing the subordinate conditional clause: (see “ Infinitive constructions replacing subordinate clauses »):

De no ser ella tan egoísta, podríamos ser amigas. - If she weren't so selfish, we could have become friends.

Using prepositions with verbs" And " Using prepositions with adjectives »).

pretext desde

1. Indicates the initial period of time and space. Translated as from, from:

Sus vacaciones empiezan desde el septiembre. - His vacation will begin in September.
Estoy de pie desde las nueve de la mañana. - I've been on my feet since nine o'clock in the morning.
Desde mi balcón veo a los niños jugando. - From my balcony I can see children playing.
Desde aquí no se oye ni se ve nada. - From here nothing can be heard or seen.

2. Indicates the starting point of movement. Translated as from:

Se aterrizó el avión de Madrid. - The plane landed from Madrid.
El tren desde Valencia llega al andén número cuatro. - A train from Valencia arrives at platform 4.

3. Included in some established phrases:

desde/de ahora en adelante from now on
desde entonces since then
desde aquel entonces since a long time
desde luego Certainly

Desde ahora en adelante te prohibo que hables conmigo de tal manera. - From now on, I forbid you to talk to me like that.
Desde luego hay que invitarle a la fiesta de mañana. - Of course, he should be invited to tomorrow's celebration.

pretext durante

Has only temporary meaning; translated as during, during:

Durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial cayeron millones de hombres. - Millions of people died during World War II.
Durante el invierno se puede esquiar y patinar. - In winter you can ski and ice skate.

pretext en

1. Indicates the location of something or someone in space; translated as in, on:

Colocamos la ropa en el armario. - We put our clothes in the closet.
El coche está en el taller mecánico. - The car is in the workshop.
María vive en un pueblo cerca de Madrid. - Maria lives in a small town near Madrid.
Los niños estudian en el colegio. - The children are in college.

2. Indicates a time point or date:

En septiembre empieza el año escolar. - The school year begins in September.
Pablo Neruda nació en el año 1904 y murió en 1973. - Pablo Neruda was born in 1904 and died in 1973.

3. Included in the group of adverbs of manner of action:

Su padre, mientras se ducha, canta en voz alta. - Her father sings loudly when he showers.
Relátamelo todo, pero en breve, por favor. - Tell me everything, please, just briefly.

4. Indicates the material from which the item is made:

En el conjunto del monumento a Cervantes en la Plaza de España están las estatuas en bronce de Don Quijote a caballo sobre Rocinante y Sancho Panza montado a su asno. - In the ensemble of the monument to Cervantes in the Plaza de España there are bronze figures of Don Quixote riding Rocinante and Sancho Panza on his donkey.

5. Used with vehicles:

A todos los niños les gusta andar en las bicicletas. - All children like to ride bicycles.
Prefiero ir en taxi a casa de mi amiga. - I prefer to take a taxi to my friend's place.

Mandatory when using some verbs and adjectives (see “ Using prepositions with verbs" And " Using prepositions with adjectives »).

pretext entre

1. Indicates an intermediate location. Translated as between:

Colombia está entre Venezuela y el Ecuador. - Colombia is located between Venezuela and Ecuador.
El cine está entre una farmacia y un restaurante. - The cinema is located between the pharmacy and the restaurant.

2. Indicates an uncertain, approximate location. Translated as among, in:

La muchacha se perdió entre la multitud. - The girl got lost in the crowd.
No pienso que estés entre muchos enemigos. - I don't think you are among many enemies.

3. Indicates an approximate length of time. Translated as between, with:

Llego a casa entre las dos y las dos y media. - I come home between two and half past two.
Entre el viernes y el lunes estaremos en nuestra casa de campo. - From about Friday to Monday we will be at our country house.

4. Indicates shared participation. Translated as between, in:

No lo relataremos a nadie. Que se quede esto entre tú y yo. - We won't tell this to anyone. Let this stay between us.
Entre nuestro grupo reinaba una amistad grande. - There was an atmosphere of great friendship in our group.

prepositions except/salvo

Synonymous prepositions. They have only one meaning - except, except:

Todos llegaron a la fiesta excepto Luis, está enfermo. - Everyone came to the holiday except Luis, he is sick.
Trabajamos todos los días de la semana salvo el domingo. - We work every day of the week except Sunday.

pretext hacia

Indicates:

Nos dirigimos hacia la más cercana estación del metro. - We headed to the nearest metro station.
Pedro volvió la cabeza hacia la puerta. - Pedro turned his head towards the door.

2. approximate indication of place or time. Translated as about, to:

Los españoles cenan muy tarde, hacia las nueve o las diez de la noche. - The Spaniards have dinner very late, around nine or ten o'clock in the evening.
La nave navega con rumbo hacia la costa. - The ship is sailing towards the shore.

Discutieron muchos temas y la conversación se desvió hacia los problemas de la injusticia. - They discussed many topics and the conversation turned to issues of injustice.
María siente verdadera pasión hacia la pintura. - Maria has a true passion for painting.

pretext hasta

Indicates:

1. limit in spatial meaning. Corresponds to the Russian preposition before:

Llegamos en el autobús hasta el monasterio antiguo. - We took a bus to the ancient monastery.
El tren seguirá hasta el punto final de su itenerario. - The train will proceed to the final destination of its route.
Un tiket de ida y vuelta hasta la Plaza Cataluña, por favor. - One round trip ticket to Plaza Catalunya, please.

2. limit in time value. Also corresponds to the Russian preposition before:

Elena mira la televisión hasta las doce de la noche. - Elena watches TV until twelve o'clock at night.
De costumbre los empleados trabajan hasta las seis de la tarde. - Employees usually work until six o'clock in the evening.

3. When combined with an infinitive, noun or subordinate clause, it indicates the limit of any action:

Me gustan tanto sus versos que estoy dispuesta hasta aprenderlos de memoria. - I like his poems so much that I’m ready to even learn them by heart.
Es muy bien conocida la famosa expresión de Ernesto Che Guevara: “¡Hasta la victoria siempre!” - The famous slogan of Ernesto Che Guevara is well known: “Always until victory!”
Estudiará este tema hasta que logre comprenderlo. - He will study this topic until he understands it.

4. Preposition hasta is an integral part of such important and frequently used expressions as:

hasta luego see you soon
hasta cierto punto to any extent
hasta el fin to end
hasta la vista Goodbye

Tienes razón hasta cierto punto. - To some extent you are right.
El libro resultó tan aburrido que lo leí hasta el fin con mucha dificultad. - The book turned out to be so boring that I read it to the end with great difficulty.

pretext mediante

Has only one meaning - through, with the help:

Resolveremos el conflicto mediante las negociaciones. - We will resolve the conflict through negotiations.
Aprendió a manejar bien su coche mediante estas reglas. - He learned to drive well using these rules.

pretext para

In all its meanings it is most often translated by Russian prepositions for, to or a Russian subordinate clause of the goal, conveys the relationship of the instrumental, genitive and dative cases.

1. Indicates the purpose of the action or shows for whom (or what) it is being performed:

He llegado para hablar contigo. - I came to talk to you.
Es una nueva medicina para adelgazar. - This is a new weight loss medicine.
Estamos preparándonos para la salida al teatro. - We are getting ready to go to the theater.
El profesor lo explica para Juan. - The teacher explains this to Juan.

In this phrase, that is, before the indirect object, the preposition para synonymous with the preposition a . In phrases of this type, either of these two prepositions can be used.

2. Indicates destination, directions:

How about redacción? - Are you going to the editor?
El avión sale para la Habana. - The plane departs for Havana.

3. Indicates a point in time:

Tienes que hacerlo para finales de mes. - You must do this by the end of the month.
Vamos a dejarlo para el otro día. - Let's leave that for another day.
Comparé un regalo para su cumpleaños. - I will buy a gift for his birthday.

4. Has a defining character:

Es un tenedor para el pescado. - This is a fish fork.
Compré este reloj para ti. - I bought this watch for you.

5. Conveys point of view, opinion:

Para nosotros esto no tiene ninguna importancia. - It doesn't matter to us.
Para mí es un verdadero placer. - This is a real pleasure for me.

6. Conveys a comparative shade:

Es una niña muy educada para su edad. - This is a very educated girl for her age.
¿No vas muy abrigada para el calor que hace? - Aren't you dressed too warmly for this warm weather?

Pretext para required when using some verbs and adjectives (see “ Using prepositions with verbs" And " Using prepositions with adjectives »).

pretext por

Corresponds to the Russian instrumental case, most often translated with Russian prepositions for, for.

1. Indicates the reason:

Le pasan tantas cosas desagradables por decir tonterías. - All sorts of troubles happen to him because he says stupid things.
No vas a enfadarte conmigo por una tontería, ¿verdad? - You won't be angry with me because of this stupidity, will you?
Gracias por haberme llamado. - Thank you for calling me.

2. Indicates the purpose of the action:

Bolívar luchó por la independencia de Venezuela y otros países latinoamericanos. - Bolivar fought for the independence of Venezuela and other Latin American countries.
Vamos a la tienda por flores. - Let's go to the store for flowers.

3. Indicates time, approximate time and frequency:

Por la mañana es mejor levantarse temprano. - In the morning it is better to get up early.
Por unos minutos no supo que contestar. - For several minutes he did not know what to answer.
Por esas fechas estaba en las Islas Canarias. - Somewhere in those days he was in the Canary Islands.
Visita a sus padres una vez por semana. - He visits his parents once a week.

4. Points to a place:

Paseamos por un parque muy hermoso. - We walked through a very beautiful park.
No subas por la escalera, funciona el ascensor. - Don't take the stairs, the elevator is working.
No sé, donde he dejado mis gafas, por aquí, creo. - I don't know where I left my glasses, I think it's here.

5. Indicates a course of action:

Se lo communicó por telefono. - He told him this over the phone.
Dice que le gustaría resolver el problema por las buenas. - He says he would like to resolve the problem amicably.

6. Indicates an action performed instead of someone or on behalf of someone:

Puedes firmar por él, pregúntale. - You can sign for him, ask him.
En la reunión Pedro habló por todos. - At the meeting, Pedro spoke on behalf of everyone.

7. Indicates the price:

¿Cuánto has pagado por todos los productos? - How much did you pay for all the products?
Pagaría mucho por este libro. - I would pay a lot for this book.

8. Used in the passive voice to indicate the producer of the action:

América fue descubierta por Cristóbal Colón. - America was discovered by Christopher Columbus.
Ese cuadro fue pintado por Francisco Goya. - The painting was painted by Francisco Goya.

9. Used in independent and dependent infinitive constructions, replacing the subordinate clause of the reason (see “ Infinitive constructions replacing subordinate clauses »):

Por trabajar mucho gana bastante. - He earns decent money because he works a lot.

10. Used in several stable revolutions:

por ahora now, at the moment
por ejemplo For example
por fin finally
por eso That's why
por lo general usually, in general
por lo visto apparently

Por ahora estoy ocupada, no puedo hablar contigo. - I'm busy right now and can't talk to you.
Por fin terminaron los exámenes. - Finally the exams are over.

Mandatory when using some verbs and adjectives (see “ Using prepositions with verbs" And " Using prepositions with adjectives »).

pretext según

Indicates correspondence to some expression or opinion, a causal connection or dependence. Translated into Russian with prepositions according to:

Según mi opinión tú no estudias demasiado. - I don't think you're studying enough.
Aprendió a manejar su coche según las instrucciones que había recibido. - He learned to drive from the instructions he received.
Según comunicó el diario las elecciones empezarán en octubre. - According to the newspaper, elections will begin in October.

pretext sin

Indicates the absence of someone or something. Translated by Russian preposition without:

No te preocupes, no iremos al cine sin ti. - Don't worry, we won't go to the cinema without you.
Los diabéticos deben tomar té y café sin azúcar. - Diabetic patients should drink tea and coffee without sugar.
Es imposible vivir sin amigos y sin amor. - It is impossible to live without friends and without love.

When used with an infinitive, it conveys the meaning of a Russian gerund with negation:

Se fue sin despedirse. - He left without saying goodbye.
Lo dijo sin pensar. - He said this without thinking.
Es difícil vivir sin trabajar. - It's hard to live without working.

pretext sobre

In almost all meanings it is translated by Russian prepositions on, over, about, about.

1. Indicates a position above something or someone, both spatially and morally:

Las revistas están sobre la mesa. - Magazines are on the table.
Juan se impone sobre todos sus amigos por sus conocimientos. - Juan surpasses all his friends with his knowledge.

2. Indicates the thematic content of a speech, statement, book, etc.:

Es un libro sobre la pintura española. - This book is about Spanish painting.
Estamos hablando con mi amiga sobre algunos pormenores. - My friend and I are talking about various little things.

3. Indicates approximate time value, quantity:

Tendrá sobre cuarenta años. - She is probably about forty years old.
Llegó sobre la una de la tarde. - He arrived around one o'clock in the afternoon.
He comprado sobre dos kilos de manzanas. - I bought about two kilograms of apples.

pretext tras

1. Indicates the time following something. Translated by Russian preposition after:

Tras el verano llega el otoño. - After summer comes autumn.
Tras la boda se fueron a Italia. - After the wedding they went to Italy.

2. Points to a place. Translated as behind, behind:

Mi pluma cayó tras el escritorio. - My pen fell behind the desk.
Tras la puerta te espera algún señor. - A gentleman is waiting for you outside the door.

In this meaning the preposition tras often replaced in modern Spanish by a complex preposition detrás de behind.