Prepositions (a, de, con, en, none) Flashcards
abstenerse…
de (to abstain from: origin, separation, departure)
alejarse…
de (to get away from: origin, separation, departure)
deshacerse…
de (to get rid of: origin, separation, departure)
divorciarse…
de (to divorce: origin, separation, departure)
huir…
de (to flee from: origin, separation, departure)
partir…
de (to depart from: origin, separation, departure)
prescindir…
de (to do without: origin, separation, departure)
salir…
de (to get out from: origin, separation, departure)
separarse…
de (to get away from: origin, separation, departure)
ser…
de (to be from: origin, separation, departure)
surgir…
de (to come from: origin, separation, departure)
venir…
de (to come from: origin, separation, departure)
possession or belonging
de
bebedor de café
coffee drinker (adj. phrase)
casa de campo
country house (adj. phrase)
cuentos de hadas
fairy tales (adj. phrase)
mesa de cristal
glass table (adj. phrase)
reloj de oro
gold watch (adj. phrase)
techo de tejas
tile roof (adj. phrase)
vestido de seda
silk dress (adj. phrase)
vida de ciudad
city life (adj. phrase)
hombre de la barba roja
man with the red beard (description / identification: with / in)
joven del uniforme blanco
young man in the white uniform (description / identification: with / in)
hombre de la tienda
man at the store (description / identification: with / in)
…balde
de (for free: expresses manner)
…buena (mala) gana
de (willingly / (unwillingly): expresses manner)
…buena (mala) fe
de (in good / bad faith: expresses manner)
…memoria
de (by heart: expresses manner)
…pie
de (standing: expresses manner)
…puntillas
de (on tiptoe: expresses manner)
…reojo
de (out of the corner of one’s eye: expresses manner)
…repente
de (suddenly: expresses manner)
…rodillas
de (on one’s knees: expresses manner)
el mantel es de me madre
tablecloth is my mother’s (possession / belonging)
un hombre de mundo
a man of the world (possession / belonging)
una muchacha de campo
a girl from the country (country girl) (possession / belonging)
problemas de actualidad
present-day problems (possession/ belonging)
país mas grande de la América del Sur
biggest country in South America (possession / belonging)
culpar…
de (to blame for: expresses cause)
morir(se)…
de (to die of: expresses cause)
ofenderse…
de (to be offended at: expresses cause)
padecer…
de (to suffer from: expresses cause)
sufrir…
de (to suffer from: expresses cause)
quejarse…
de (to complain about: expresses cause)
reírse…
de (to laugh at: expresses cause)
morirse de / estar muerto(a) de aburrimiento
to be dying of boredom (figurative)
morirse de / estar muerto(a) de cansancio
to be dead tired (figurative)
morirse de / estar muerto(a) de calor
to be extremely hot (figurative)
morirse de / estar muerto(a) de dolor
to be in great pain (figurative)
morirse de / estar muerto(a) de hambre
to be dying of hunger / starving (figurative)
morirse de / estar muerto(a) de frío
to be dying of cold / freezing (figurative)
morirse de / estar muerto(a) de miedo
to be dying of fright / half dead with fright (figurative)
morirse de / estar muerto(a) de risa
to be die laughing / to crack up (figurative)
morirse de / estar muerto(a) de sed
to be dying of thirst / extremely thirsty (figurative)
morirse de / estar muerto(a) de sueño
to be extremely sleepy (figurative)
morirse de / estar muerto(a) de tristeza
to be extremely sad (figurative)
morirse de / estar muerto(a) de vergüenza
to be dying of embarrassment / shame (figurative)
estar aburrido/cansado de esperar
to be bored from/tired of waiting (indicate cause)
estar amarillo de envidia
to be green with envy (indicate cause)
estar morado de frío
to be blue with the cold (indicate cause)
estar pálido de miedo
to be pale with fear (indicate cause)
estar rojo de ira
to be red with anger (indicate cause)
alegrarse…
de (to be glad for: emotion, mental states, attitude)
arrepentirse…
de (to regret: emotion, mental states, attitude)
asombrarse…
de (to be astonished at: emotion, mental states, attitude)
asustarse…
de (to be scared of: emotion, mental states, attitude)
avergonzarse…
de (to be ashamed of: emotion, mental states, attitudes)
cansarse…
de (to get tired of: emotion, mental states, attitudes)
compadecerse…
de (to feel sorry for: emotion, mental states, attitude)
extrañarse…
de (to be surprised at: emotion, mental states, attitude)
sorprenderse…
de (to be surprised at: emotion, mental states, attitude)
abusar…
de (to abuse, misuse; to impose on)
acordarse…
de…(noun) (to remember)
agarrarse…
de (a) (to seize, clutch)
burlarse…
de (to make fun of)
cambiar…
de (to change)
carecer…
de (to lack)
cesar…
de (infinitive) (to cease to)
componerse…
de (to consist of)
constar…
de (to consist of)
darse cuenta…
de (to realize)
dejar…
de (infinitive) (to cease to, stop)
depender…
de (to depend on)
despedierse…
de (to say good-bye to)
disfrutar…
de (to enjoy)
encargarse…
de (noun or inf) (to take charge / care of)
enterarse…
de (to hear, find out about)
jactarse…
de (noun or inf) (to boast about)
llenar…
de (to fill with)
no dejar…
de (inf) (not to fail to)
olvidarse…
de (noun or inf) (to forget)
protestar…
de (to protest)
quejarse…
de (to complain about)
servir…
de (to serve as)
sospechar…
de (to suspect)
vestirse…
de (to be (get) dressed as, dressed in)
fui con Josefina a un baile
I went with Josefina to a dance (accompaniment, physical / figurative)
con las manos
with one’s hands (instrumentality)
con pluma
with a pen (instrumentality)
con una herramienta especial
with a special tool (instrumentality)
trabajar con cuidado y con prisa
work carefully and in a hurry (adv. expression of manner)
hablaba con vacilación y con acento extranjero
spoke hesitantly and with a foreign accent (adv. expression of manner)
acabar…
con (to put an end to, finish off) + noun / pronoun
casarse…
con (to marry)+ noun / pronoun
comparar(se)…
con (to compare (oneself) to)+ noun / pronoun
comprometerse…
con (to get engaged to)+ noun / pronoun
contar…
con (to rely on, count on)+ noun / pronoun
contribuir… (dinero, etc.)
con (to contribute…money etc.) + noun / pronoun
encariñarse…
con (to get attached to)+ noun / pronoun
enojarse…
con (to get angry at) + person
soñar…
con (to dream of)
tropezar…
con (to stumble over, run accoss) + noun / pronoun
En julio…
In July…: location in time / space (physical / figurative)
Liliana dejó la copa en la mesa y sentó en la sofa
Liliana left the glass on the table and sat on the sofa: location in time / space (physical / figurative)
Mi amigo, que en paz descanse, murió en la miseria.
My friend, may he rest in peace, died in dire poverty. (location in time / space (physical / figurative)
Está metido en el tráfico de drogas y terminará en la cárcel.
He is involved en drug dealing and will end up in jail. (location in time / space (physical / figurative)
Mi tío es doctor en medicina, especialista en enfermedades de la piel y experto en cáncer de la piel.
My uncle is a medical doctor, a specialist in skin diseases, and an expert on skin cancer. (specialty, expertise, degree)
Celestina era muy sabia en asuntos de amor.
Celestina was very wise in matters of love.
Julia tiene miedo de viajar en avión, prefiere ir en barco.
Julia is afraid of traveling by plane; she prefers to go by boat. (manner or means)
A muchos les gustan los libros de español escritos en inglés.
Many people like Spanish books written in English. (manner or means)
Entraron en silencio en la funeraria.
They entered the funeral parlor silently. (manner or means)
Muchos dicen en broma lo que no se atreven a decir en serio.
Many people say in jest what they don’t dare to say seriously. (manner or means)
apoyarse…
en (to lean on, upon)
confiar…
en (to trust, confide in)
convertirse…
en (to turn into)
empeñarse…
en (to insist on)
insistir…
en (to insist on)
entrar…
a / en (to enter)
fijarse…
en (to notice)
influir…
en (to influence)
ingresar… (una sociedad, etc)
en (to join (an association, etc.)
molestarse…
en (to take the trouble to)
pensar…
en (to think of) (to have and opinion about)
quedar…
en (to agree to, decide on)
tardar + period of time + …
en (to take (person or vehicle + period of time + to)
vacilar…
en (to hesitate to)
acusar…
none (to tell on)
aprobar…
none (to approve of)
buscar…
none (to look for)
conseguir…
none (to succeed in)
esperar…
none (to wait for)
impedir…
none (to prevent from)
lograr…
none (to succeed in)
pagar…
none (to pay for)
presidir…
none (to preside over)
querer…
none (to care for, feel affection for)
“A” before the direct object
“a” precedes the direct object when it is a definite person or personified thing. (alguien, nadie, and quien are ususally preceded by “a”) Not with an inanimate, non-personified obj, or indefinite person, or group of people where individuals are de-emphasized.
La mujer acusó … su marido de haberle pegado.
a: The woman accused her husband of having hit her. (precedes direct obj when specific person)
El niño besó … su madre y abrazó … su tía.
a: The little boy kissed his mother and hugged his aunt. (precedes direct obj when specific person)
…quién viste? No vi … nadie.
a: Whom did you see? I saw no one. (precedes direct obj when specific person)
Todos debemos defender … nuestra patria.
a: We all should defend our homeland. (precedes direct obj when specific person…in this case personified thing)
Brasil (el equipo de Brasil) venció … México (al equipo de México) en el campeonato de fútbol.
a: Brasil (Brasil’s team) defeated Mexico (Mexico’s team) in the soccer championship. (precedes the direct obj when a specific person…or personified thing)
“A” with tener
“a” is omitted after the verb tener when used to express possession: when tener = to hold, or tener = to be, “a” is used before definite animate direct objs
La madre tenía … su bebé en los brazos.
a: The mother was holding her baby in her arms. (tener = to hold, “a” precedes direct obj)
Tenemos … nuestro padre en el hospital.
a: Our father is in the hospital. (tener = to be, “a” precedes the direct obj)
La vaca lamía … su ternerito.
a: The cow was licking her calf. (personified direct obj, precede by “a”.
Las ratas transportan … sus crías con la boca.
a: Rats transport their offspring with their mouths. (personified direct obj, precede by “a”. )
Cientos de hormigas atacaron …el pobre gusano.
a (al): Hundreds of ants attacked the poor caterpillar. (personified direct obj, precede by “a”)
La araña atrapó … la mosca en su tela.
a: The spider trapped the fly in its web. (personified direct obj, precede by “a”)
El chico slavó … la abeja de morir ahogada.
a: The boy saved the bee from drowning. (personified direct obj, precede by “a”)
Carlos ensartó … la pobre mariposa con un alfiler grande.
a: Carlos skewered the poor butterfly with a large pin. (personified direct obj, precede by “a”)
“A” and the indirect obj.
“a” precedes the indirect obj.
… mi tío Pascual … encantaban las películas de ciencia ficción, y cuando murió, … dejó su dinero a una compañía de películas en vez de dejármelo a mí.
a, le, le: My uncle Pascual loved science-fiction movies and when he died, he left his money to a movie company instead of leaving it to me. (“a” precedes the indirect obj)
to buy, to borrow, to rob (steal), to take away
the person or entity from whom the subject borrows, buys, etc. is the indirect object and the verb is followed by “a” where from would be used in English
El joven … pedió prestados unos pesos … su amigo para comprar… flores … la viejecita.
le, a, le, a: The young man borrowed a few pesos from his friend to buy flowers from the old lady. (to buy, to borrow, to rob (steal), to take away), use “a” in the place of “from” after the verb
“A” with teaching/learning process
“a” follows verbs that refer to a teaching-learning process, also after verbs that express the subject’s intention to engage in some activity or to have someone else do so.
aprender…
a: to learn (“a” follows the teaching-learning process)
convidar…
a: to invite ( “a” comes after verbs that express the subject’s intention to engage in some activity or to have someone else do so.)
invitar…
a: to invite ( “a” comes after verbs that express the subject’s intention to engage in some activity or to have someone else do so.)
consagrarse…
a: to establish oneself as, dedicate oneself to ( “a” comes after verbs that express the subject’s intention to engage in some activity or to have someone else do so.)
dedicarse…
a: dedicate oneself to ( “a” comes after verbs that express the subject’s intention to engage in some activity or to have someone else do so.)
enseñar…
a: to teach (“a” follows the teaching-learning process)
forzar…
a: to force ( “a” comes after verbs that express the subject’s intention to engage in some activity or to have someone else do so.)
obligar…
a: to force ( “a” comes after verbs that express the subject’s intention to engage in some activity or to have someone else do so.)
impulsar…
a: to propel ( “a” comes after verbs that express the subject’s intention to engage in some activity or to have someone else do so.)
incitar…
a: to incite or encourage ( “a” comes after verbs that express the subject’s intention to engage in some activity or to have someone else do so.)
“A” and verbs of motion
“a” follows verbs that express motion, physical or figurative, also after verbs of beginning
acercarse…
a: get close, approach (follows verbs that express motion, physical / figurative)
arrojarse…
a: to throw, fling, hurl yourself (follows verbs that express motion, physical / figurative)
lanzarse…
a: to pounce on, leap on(follows verbs that express motion, physical / figurative)
bajar…
a: to go/come down, descend (follows verbs that express motion, physical / figurative)
caer…
a: to fall / collapse (follows verbs that express motion, physical / figurative)
comenzar…
a: begin, start, commence (used after verbs of beginning)
empezar…
a: begin, start, commence (used after verbs of beginning)
echarse…
a: to lie down (used after verbs of beginning)
ir(se)…
a: to leave, quit, depart, go away (follows verbs that express motion, physical / figurative)
llegar…
a: to arrive at (follows verbs that express motion, physical / figurative)
