Preposiciones Flashcards

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1
Q

A (6 uses)

A

Can mean to, at, by, or for - It can be used to:

Indicate Motion (to)
Fuimos a Veracruz una vez.

Connect One Verb to an Infinitive
Yo empecé a trabajar por primera vez aquí.

Indicate Manner, How Something Is Done (on, by, with)
Ella se cruzaba a pie.

Introduce a Person as a Direct Object – Personal a
Entonces conocí a mi abuela.

Introduce an Indirect Object (to, for)
Le decía a mi mamá

Express Time (at, is)
El sol sale a las tres de la mañana.

Remember that the preposition a contracts with the definite article el forming al.
Ya no fueron al colegio.

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2
Q

A Causa De

A

This preposition indicates cause (because of, due to) and it is followed by a noun, whereas the conjunction porque (because) is followed by a subordinate clause.

A causa de un accidente cancelaron el evento.
Due to an accident they cancelled the event.

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3
Q

A La Derecha De

A

This preposition can be translated as to the right of, on the right of.

El banco está a la derecha de la iglesia.
The bank is on the right of the church.

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4
Q

A La Izquierda De

A

This preposition can be translated as to the left of, on the left of.

El banco está a la izquierda de la iglesia.
The bank is on the left of the church.

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5
Q

Al Fondo De

A

This preposition can be translated as at the end of, at the bottom of.

El banco está al fondo de la calle.
The bank is at the end of the street.

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6
Q

Al Lado De

A

This preposition can be translated as beside, next to.

Es un pueblo al lado de otra base militar.
It is a village next to another military base.

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7
Q

Alrededor De

A

This preposition can be translated as surrounding, around, approximately.

Alrededor de un mes aproximadamente.
Around a month approximately.

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8
Q

Antes De

A

This preposition can be translated as before (temporal).

Un día antes de la graduación todavía estábamos allí con ellos.
One day before graduation we were still there with them.

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9
Q

A Través De

A

This preposition can be translated as through, across.

Todos ellos fueron a través de Boston.
All of them went through Boston.

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10
Q

Bajo

A

This preposition can be translated as under, but always in a figurative sense, more metaphorical or idiomatic than debajo de.

Yo me sentía más segura bajo una familia.
I felt safer under (the protection of) a family.
El perro está durmiendo debajo de la mesa.
The dog is sleeping under the table.

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11
Q

Cerca De

A

This preposition can be translated as close to, near to.

Para uno que vive cerca de la frontera es totalmente diferente.
For someone living close to the border it is completely different.

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12
Q

Con

A

This preposition can be translated as with.

Trabajo con los estudiantes.
I work with the students.

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13
Q

Contra

A

This preposition can be translated as against.

No tengo nada contra México.
I have nothing against Mexico.

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14
Q

De (6 uses)

A

Can mean of or from – used to:

Indicate Possession (of, ‘s)
La familia de mi mamá casi toda vive aquí en Brownsville.
Indicate Cause (from, with)
Estoy cansada de correr.
Indicate Origin (from, of)
Mi papá es de Chihuahua, mi mamá es de Durango.

Describe a Noun with Another Noun or Infinitive (of)
Botellas de agua ardiente.

Compare (than - numbers)
Como más de dos años que no he visitado.

As Part of Common Idioms
De ahora en adelante From now on
De pie Standing
Unos a pie, unos de rodillas.
Some walking, some others on their knees.

Remember that the preposition de contracts with the definite article el forming del.
Hablamos del idioma, hablamos de las diferencias de un país a otro.

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15
Q

Debajo De

A

This preposition can be translated as under.

El perro está durmiendo debajo de la mesa.
The dog is sleeping under the table.

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16
Q

Dentro De

A

This preposition can be translated as in, inside, or within.

Los nueve ahí dentro de la cabina.
The nine of us in the cabin.

17
Q

Después De

A

This preposition can be translated as after (temporal).

Después de estar allí como un año o dos le empezó a gustar.
After living there for one year or two she started to like it.

18
Q

Detrás De

A

This preposition can be translated as behind.

El sol se escondió detrás de las montañas.
The sun hid behind the mountains.

19
Q

Durante

A

This preposition can be translated as during.

Durante su infancia, ¿qué lenguas se hablaban en su casa?
During your childhood, which languages did you speak at home?

20
Q

En (4 uses)

A

Can mean in, on, at, about, or – used to:

Indicate Location (in, on, at)

Yo estaba en El Salvador y él en Nueva York.
I was in El Salvador and he was in New York.
Indicate Time (in)

En el verano, a medianoche todavía es de día.
In the summer, at midnight it is still daytime.
Indicate Manner, How Something Is Done (by)

Y claro nos fuimos en barco.
And of course we went by boat.
Idioms

En broma As a joke
En serio Seriously
En vivo Live

21
Q

Encima De

A

This preposition can be translated as on, on top of.

El libro está encima de la mesa.
The book is on the table.

22
Q

Enfrente De

A

This preposition can be translated as in front of, across from.

En un carro enfrente de la escuela.
In a car in front of the school.

23
Q

Entre

A

This preposition can be translated as between.

¿Y cuál es la diferencia entre los mexicanos y la gente de Sudamérica?
And what is the difference between Mexicans and people from South America?

24
Q

En Vez De

A

This preposition can be translated as instead of.

En vez de estacionamiento dicen parqueadero.
Instead of estacionamiento they say parqueadero (for parking lot).

25
Q

Excepto

A

This preposition can be translated as outside of, excluding.

En este momento estamos todos aquí en este país excepto los que viven en Colombia.
In this moment we are all here in this country excluding the ones that live in Colombia.

26
Q

Fuera De

A

This preposition can be translated as outside of.

Pasé nueve meses de la universidad fuera de Estados Unidos.
I spent nine university months outside of the United States.

27
Q

Gracias A

A

This preposition can be translated as thanks to.

Gracias a la tecnología sí conservo amistades de la infancia.
Thanks to technology I do keep childhood friendships.

28
Q

Hacia

A

This preposition can be translated as toward.

¿Qué tipo de actitud tienes tú hacia ese tipo de choque cultural?
Which kind of attitude do you have toward this type of culture shock?

29
Q

Hasta

A

This preposition can be translated as until.

Viví en México hasta el quinto grado.
I lived in Mexico until fifth grade.

30
Q

Lejos De

A

This preposition can be translated as far from.

Y es una escuela de liberal arts y le encanta, pero muy, muy chiquita y muy, muy lejos de Texas.
And it is a liberal arts school and he loves it, but it is very, very small and very, very far from Texas.

31
Q

Para (6 uses)

A

Indicate Destination
Estudié mis primeros dos años en el TEC de Monterrey en Chihuahua y luego vine para acá, me transferí para acá.

Show the Use or Purpose of a Thing
Había otra escuela que se llamaba C. S. Winn que tenía clases para los estudiantes que no sabían inglés.

Express Purpose, Objective, Aim, or Goal
Caminaba una hora para llegar a la escuela y para regresar, era otra hora.

Indicate a Recipient
El abuelo mío me daba cada ocho días cinco centavos, para mi hermana y para mí.

Express a Deadline or Specific Time
Necesito el vestido para el lunes. (by Monday)

Express a Contrast from What is Expected
Para un niño lee muy bien.

32
Q

Por (12 uses)

A

Express Gratitude or Apology

Talk about Multiplication and Division

Express Velocity, Frequency and Proportion
Antes íbamos como dos veces por semana.

Indicate Location or Movement Meaning “Through,” “Along,” “By” or “In the Area of”
Sus máquinas están por todo el mundo.

Talk about Exchange, Including Sales
Mi papá por ochocientos dólares se compró ese terrenito.

Mean “On Behalf of,” or “In Favor of,”
Trabajó por su papá que tenía la ferretería.

Express a Length of Time, Duration
Yo me quedé con mi suegra por cinco años.

Express an Undetermined, or General Time, Meaning “During”
Tuve que caminar como tres kilómetros por la mañana para llegar allá.

Talk about Means of Communication or Transportation
Mi esposa es de Montevideo, entonces seguíamos hablando por teléfono.

Show the Reason for an Errand (with ir, venir, pasar, mandar, volver, and preguntar)
Paso por ti a las ocho.

Express Cause or Reason
Por el frío no se mantuvo abierta la ventana ese día.

Introduce the Agent in Passive Constructions
El libro fue escrito por Octavio Paz.

33
Q

Según

A

This preposition can be translated as according to.

Un joven muy activo, muy divertido según yo.
A very dynamic, very fun guy according to me.

34
Q

Sin

A

This preposition can be translated as without.

Me pasé un año sin estudiar.
I skipped one year without studying.

35
Q

Sobre

A

This preposition has many different functions and meanings, among them:

About, on the subject of
Above, on
Around, approximately
¿Nos puedes contar historias sobre las tradiciones culturales que celebras en tu familia?
Can you tell us some stories about the cultural traditions you celebrate in your family?