Spanish Prepositions: A, En, De, and More

“I’m going to Madrid.” “I’m in Madrid.” “I’m from Madrid.”

Small words like to, in, and from tell us how people, places, and actions relate to one another. These are called prepositions, and Spanish uses them for the same purpose.

Three of the most common are a, en, and de:

But these prepositions do more than describe places. A also appears with clock times and certain people, en with months and years, and de with possession and other relationships.

Throughout this guide, we’ll explore these and other common prepositions, comparing their different uses so you can choose the right one without relying on word-for-word English translations.

When describing where something is, Spanish uses prepositions and expressions that tell us its location or position relative to something else.

En: In, On, or At

One of the most common location prepositions is en. Depending on the context, it can mean “in,” “on,” or “at.”

English switches between three prepositions, but Spanish can use en for all three.

En vs. A: Location or Destination?

Here’s an important distinction: en tells us where someone or something is, while a commonly indicates where someone or something is going.

Both sentences refer to Madrid, but one describes a location and the other a destination.

En, Encima de, and Sobre: On or Above?

Spanish has several ways to describe something being on or above another object.

All three are correct. En is a common, everyday choice for describing where something is. Encima de emphasizes that it’s on top of or above something, while sobre can also express either position.

Importantly, encima de and sobre don’t necessarily mean something is touching the surface. They can also describe something positioned above it.

Debajo de and Bajo: Under

These two expressions have very similar meanings.

Both are correct. Debajo de is especially common in everyday speech, while bajo is another standard way to express the same position.

In Front of vs. Behind

Delante de and detrás de describe opposite positions.

Near, Far, and Between

These expressions tell us how places or objects are positioned relative to one another.

You can also use al lado de (next to) when something is immediately beside another object or place.

These expressions are best learned together as phrases. For example, al lado de means “next to”; you don’t need to translate each word separately.

We already saw how a indicates a destination when we compared it with en. But what about hacia and hasta? All three can describe movement toward a place, with different emphases.

A vs. Hacia vs. Hasta: Destination, Direction, or Endpoint?

A identifies the destination:

Hacia points in a direction without necessarily saying you’ll reach the place:

Hasta emphasizes how far the movement goes:

Notice that the park doesn’t change. What changes is whether you’re describing the destination, the direction, or the endpoint of the movement.

De vs. Desde: Origin or Starting Point?

Both de and desde can indicate where someone or something comes from.

Both can describe where a journey begins. De commonly identifies the origin, while desde emphasizes the starting point, especially when describing a route or distance traveled.

A vs. Por: Destination or Route?

Por can describe movement through an area or along a route, rather than toward a destination.

Similarly:

So when describing movement, ask whether you’re talking about where you’re headed, where you’re starting, or the path you’re taking. Por has several other uses, which we’ll explore in the Por vs. Para guide and deck.

A + El and De + El

When a or de comes directly before the masculine singular article el (the), the words combine:

• a + el = al
• de + el = del

But these contractions only apply to the article el, not the pronoun él (he/him).

Spanish also uses prepositions to express when something happens, when it begins or ends, and how long it lasts.

A vs. En: Clock Times or Calendar Periods?

We’ve already seen a indicating a destination and en describing location. These prepositions also appear in time expressions.

Use a for clock times.

Use en for months, years, seasons, and many broader time references.

Unlike English, Spanish normally uses el or los rather than “on” with days of the week.

De: Parts of the Day

Spanish commonly uses de to specify the part of the day after a clock time.

You can also use por with parts of the day to describe when an activity happens.

The same pattern applies to por la tarde (in the afternoon) and por la noche (at night).

Desde vs. Desde Hace: Since When or for How Long?

Both expressions can describe situations that started in the past and are still continuing.

Use desde with a starting point:

Use desde hace with a length of time:

The distinction is similar to English “since” versus “for.” Notice that Spanish uses the present tense in both examples because the situation is still continuing.

Desde vs. Hasta: Beginning or End?

Use desde to mark a starting point and hasta to mark an endpoint.

Both expressions can refer to time as well as movement, which we covered earlier.

Durante vs. Desde Hace: Duration or Ongoing Situation?

Use durante to describe the length of an activity or the period during which it happens.

Compare that with desde hace, which describes how long a situation has been continuing:

Durante focuses on how long an activity lasts or when it takes place, while desde hace tells us how long something has been continuing up to now.

And unlike English, Spanish often expresses a completed duration without any preposition at all:

Prepositions aren’t just about places and time. They also help us describe people, possession, companionship, and other relationships.

The Personal A: People as Direct Objects

Here’s a rule that often surprises English speakers: Spanish commonly puts a before a specific person who is the direct object of a verb, even when English doesn’t use a preposition.

Compare:

Both are direct objects, but María is a person, so Spanish adds a.

The personal a is also commonly used with pets.

Personal A vs. No A

A useful distinction is whether you’re talking about an identifiable person or someone unspecified.

In the second sentence, you’re looking for anyone who fits the description, not one particular teacher. This isn’t an absolute rule, but it’s a helpful starting point.

De: Possession and Other Relationships

Earlier, we saw de used to express where someone or something comes from. But it has several other common uses.

In each case, de connects something to its owner, a related person, or the material it’s made of.

Con vs. Sin: With or Without?

Use con to express companionship or association, and sin to express the absence of something.

Con can also describe an instrument or tool:

Other Relationships

A few additional prepositions are useful when describing how people, things, and ideas relate to one another.

Remember that sobre can also mean “on” or “above” when describing a physical position. The context determines the meaning.

Bonus: Verbs with Prepositions

Sometimes the verb itself requires a particular preposition, regardless of what English uses.

Changing the preposition can even change the meaning:

Other common combinations include confiar en (to trust), enamorarse de (to fall in love with), and preocuparse por (to worry about).

These expressions are best learned together rather than translated word by word. They’re included here for reference, but aren’t part of the practice decks in this guide.