Prepositions / Preposiciones Flashcards
in / on / at
en
to
a
toward
hacia
with
con
without
sin
of
de
from
de / desde
When to Use Desde
However, as a general rule, it can be said that desde more strongly indicates motion from a location. To give two examples, desde commonly would be used in sentences such as “Echó el libro desde el coche” (he threw the book from the car) and “Corrió desde la playa” (he ran from the beach). It can similarly be used where the emphasis is on the original location rather than the destination.
Desde also is used with other prepositions: desde arriba (from above), desde dentro (from inside), desde abajo (from underneath). Note that these phrases tend to indicate motion from the specified area. It is also common with time phrases.
When to Use De
There are numerous cases where de, not desde, must be used to translate “from.” Many of those are instances wherein the translation “of” can be substituted for “from,” even if awkwardly. Examples: Soy de los Estados Unidos. (I’m from the United States. I’m of the United States.) Sacó el dinero de la bolsa. (She took the money from the purse. She took the money of the purse.) Sometimes the preposition por can be used to mean “from”: Está debilitado por hambre. (He is weak from hunger.)
Since
Desde
Between
Entre
against
contra
until
hasta
for
para / por
POR
Por is used to talk about movement, modes and means of travel and communication, exchanges, duration, and motivation, among other things.
- Travel and Communication
Por can be used to talk about the way you travel or communicate. This can refer to mode of travel (car, train, etc.) or communication (email, phone, etc.) or even the route you take.
La contacté por correo.
I contacted her by mail.
Viajé por Francia y España.
I traveled through France and Spain.
¿Quieres pasar por el parque?
Do you want to go through the park?
- Exchanges
Por is used to talk about exchanges and trades.
Te cambio mi manzana por tu sandwich.
I’ll trade you my apple for your sandwich.
Te doy sesenta pesos por la mochila.
I’ll give you sixty pesos for that backpack.
- Duration
Por is used to talk about the length of time an activity went on for.
Tengo que trabajar por ocho horas hoy.
I need to work for eight hours today.
¿Dormiste por 12 horas? ¡Qué vida la tuya!
You slept for 12 hours? Lucky dog!
- Motivation
Por is used to talk about motivations or reasons for doing something.
Por su amor a los niños, quiere ser pediatra.
Because of her love for children, she wants to be a pediatrician.
Trabajo por ti, porque te quiero cuidar.
I work for you, because I want to take care of you.
_______
PARA
Para is used to talk about destinations, recipients, deadlines, and goals.
- Destinations
Para is used to talk about physical destinations, especially the endpoint of a trip.
Salgo para Chile mañana.
I leave for Chile tomorrow.
¿Para dónde vas con tanta prisa?
Where are you going in such a hurry?
- Recipients
Para is used to indicate the intended recipient of something, such as a gift.
Este regalo es para Adela.
This gift is for Adela.
No, Bruno. Estos chocolates no son para los perros.
No, Bruno. These chocolates aren’t for dogs.
- Deadlines
Para is used to talk about deadlines, including dates and times.
Necesito la presentación para el viernes.
I need the presentation by Friday.
Tengo que terminar esto para las ocho.
I need to finish this by eight o’clock.
- Goals
Para is used to talk about goals and purposes. It’s especially common to see para used with an infinitive to talk about why something is done.
Trabaja mucho para ganar más dinero.
He works a lot in order to earn more money.
Corro para mantenerme en forma.
I run to stay in shape.
over
sobre
about
sobre
behind
Atras
Detras
Although both detrás and atrás are adverbs that can be translated as “behind” and are often listed as synonyms, they tend to be used in different ways. Atrás tends to indicate motion backward, while detrás tends to refer to a place, but the distinction isn’t always clear. Sometimes the choice of word is a matter of which “sounds better” rather than following some fixed rule.
That said, it is probably easier to explain these verbs by pointing out when you are most likely to hear them used. Detrás is most often used:
- As detrás de to form a prepositional phrase meaning “behind,” “in back of” or “after.” Está detrás de la casa. (It is behind the house.) Vinieron detrás de ella. (They came after she did.)
- In a figurative sense as detrás de to mean “behind.” Condenó a los políticos detrás de las protestas. (He condemned the politicians behind the protests.) El cuento detrás del cuento. (The story behind the story.)
- As por detrás to form a phrase meaning “from behind.” Se rieron de ella por detrás. (They laughed at her from behind her back.)
In parts of Latin America, it is common to use atrás de where detrás de might be used in the examples above.
Atrás is most often used:
- By itself or as hacia atrás to mean “backwards.” Fue atrás. (He went backwards.) Miró hacia atrás. (He looked backwards.)
- To mean “ago.” Comí cinco días atrás. (I ate five days ago.)
- With dejar to mean “leave behind.” Tim LaHaye escribió el libro Dejados atrás. (Tim LaHaye wrote the book Left Behind.)
*As an exclamation (¡atrás!) to mean “Get back!”
In preference to detrás when accompanied by a comparative term such as más or menos. Otro edificio más atrás servía de oficina. (Another building further back served as an office.)
