4.5: Prepositions
- Page ID
- 173856
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Prepositions are words that add information and connect words with other words in a sentence. They usually add information about direction, place, time, relationships or manner.
Some common prepositions are
a to
afuera de outside of
antes de before
cerca de close to
con with
contra against
de of, from
debajo de under
dentro de inside of
desde since
después de after
detrás de behind
durante during
en in
encima de on top of
enfrente de in front ot
entre among, between
excepto except
hacia towards
hasta until
junto a next to
lejos de far from
menos except
para for
por for
salvo about, above
según according to
sin without
sobre above, about
Sometimes we want to include a subject pronoun after a preposition. Note that we use the subject pronouns except for yo and tú. For example
para mí para nosotros/nosotras
de ti de vosotros/vosotras
con él/ella/used con ellos/ellas/ustedes
Mí has a written accent mark but ti does not.
The third person subject pronouns can also refer to things as well as people.
There are three irregular forms that exist after the word con.
conmigo = with me
contigo = with you
consigo = with himself/herself/yourself/themselves/yourselves
When a preposition is combined with another word, such as a prepositional pronoun, the combination is called a prepositional phrase.
Prepositions are short little words that can add a lot of information. They can be fun and useful to use. Read through the list of them a few more times and then practice them.
Prácticas
A. Write the preposition with the opposite meaning.
1. con
2. enfrente de
3. lejos de
4. encima de
5. antes de
6. dentro de
7. cerca de
8. después de
9. sin
10. afuera de
B. Translate the following prepositions and prepositional phrases.
1. without
2. according to
3. during
4. between
5. to
6. in
7. for (two ways)
8. until
9. since
10. behind them
11. towards me
12. next to you (fam., singular)
13. far from you (formal, plural)
14. of, from us (feminine)
15. after me
16. among, between us (masculine)
17. against them (masculine)
18. before us (feminine)
19. inside of it (masculine)
20. with me
21. with you (fam., singular)
22. with them (feminine)
C. Choose one of the following activities. Be creative. And, have fun!
1. Find a picture on your phone or computer. Write three sentences that include a preposition to describe the picture.
2. Look at the items you have with you. Write five sentences with prepositions to describe where your belongings are.
3. Choose one of your belongings and write five sentences that include a preposition to explain different places where you could place your item.
4. Write a dialogue where two individuals are discussing where an object is. Include five prepositions.
5. Write a song about where something is. Include five prepositions. You could write about buildings on your campus or in your neighborhood. You could write about favorite or least favorite places. Be creative.
D. What is a preposition? Which prepositions have you heard before? Which will be the easiest for you to remember? Why? Which will be the most difficult? Why? Which will be the most useful to know? Why?