Spanish Prepositions and Definite Articles71

Spanish prepositions are words that connect other words in a sentence, such as nouns, pronouns, and adjectives. They can indicate the location, time, or manner of an action.

Definite articles are used to specify a particular noun. In Spanish, there are two definite articles: el (for masculine nouns) and la (for feminine nouns).

The following are some of the most common Spanish prepositions and their corresponding definite articles:

Preposition
Definite Article
Meaning


a
el / la
to, at


ante
el / la
before


bajo
el / la
under


con
el / la
with


contra
el / la
against


de
el / la
of, from


desde
el / la
since


durante
el / la
during


en
el / la
in, on, at


entre
el / la
between


hacia
el / la
towards


hasta
el / la
until


para
el / la
for


por
el / la
by, through


según
el / la
according to


sin
el / la
without


sobre
el / la
on, over


tras
el / la
behind

The definite article is used with a preposition when the noun that follows the preposition is specific. For example:* Voy a la tienda. (I am going to the store.)
* Estoy en el parque. (I am in the park.)
* Hablo con la profesora. (I am talking to the teacher.)

The definite article is not used with a preposition when the noun that follows the preposition is general. For example:* Voy a una tienda. (I am going to a store.)
* Estoy en un parque. (I am in a park.)
* Hablo con un profesor. (I am talking to a teacher.)

There are some exceptions to these rules. For example, the definite article is always used with the preposition a when it is followed by a personal name.* Voy a ver a María. (I am going to see Mary.)

The definite article is also used with the preposition de when it is followed by a possessive pronoun.* Es el libro de ella. (It is her book.)

The definite article is also used with the preposition por when it is followed by a period of time.* Por la mañana. (In the morning.)

The definite article is also used with the preposition para when it is followed by a purpose.* Para la escuela. (For school.)

The definite article is also used with the preposition tras when it is followed by a noun that indicates a period of time.* Tras la guerra. (After the war.)

2024-12-23

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