As of May 31, 2023, we have updated our Code of Conduct.

Questions tagged [preposiciones]

Palabras que introducen términos con los que forman grupo sintáctico. // Function words such as "a", "de", "en", "por", "para", "sin", or "sobre".

Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
19 votes
3 answers
4k views

What's the difference between "debe de" y "debe"?

Is there any difference? What's their usage? When should one be used instead of the other one? Examples: El niño debe de hacer su tarea. El niño debe hacer su tarea.
Alfredo Osorio's user avatar
24 votes
6 answers
5k views

Difference between "por" and "para"

Even after taking 4 years of college Spanish and living abroad, I still don't have a very firm control of when to use por or para. What are the basic rules on when to use either.
Eric Di Bari's user avatar
  • 1,112
6 votes
3 answers
2k views

¿Debo usar la 'a personal' con un personaje antropomorfo?

Se usa la a personal cuando el objeto es una persona. E.g.: Veo a mi hermana. (No se dice "Veo mi hermana.") ¿Se usa la a personal con personajes antropomorfos que no son humanos? E.g.: ¿Cuáles ...
Robert Columbia's user avatar
5 votes
3 answers
275 views

What are the more complex meanings of "de"?

So, I already know basic forms of this word (of, from, etc.), but I keep seeing it used in places that I don't understand. For example, I sometimes see "antes de que", or just "de que". Why does "de" ...
kingkola36's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
285 views

Why is "a" needed in "Jugaba al tenis todos los días"?

In the sentence, "Jugaba al tenis todos los días cuando era más joven" why is it "al" over "el"? "Why is "a" needed?
A. Bell 's user avatar
  • 1,237
23 votes
2 answers
2k views

What is the history of the "personal a"?

What is the historical origin of the "personal a" in Spanish? Examples of the personal a: George sees Mary. -> Jorge ve a María. I see the waitress. -> Veo a la mesera. But with the exact same ...
Flimzy's user avatar
  • 12.8k
14 votes
5 answers
81k views

Are there any differences between "de nada" and "por nada"?

Most of the time in all the Spanish speaking countries I've been in I've heard de nada as the reply to gracias or the equivalent of English you're welcome etc. But after a while I became conscious ...
hippietrail's user avatar
  • 5,244
9 votes
3 answers
471 views

Two nouns in a row, or, is it OK to omit "de"?

Two or more nouns are sometimes used consecutively, with the second modifying the first. For instance, I recently received a mail whose subject was "Honorarios migración." This is, I suppose, ...
Michael Wolf's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
8k views

¿Es correcto usar dos "comos" y decir "tanto como X como como Y"?

Supongamos que queremos utilizar la expresión Tanto X como Y, por ejemplo: Me gustan tanto el chocolate como los garbanzos Es decir, que me refiero a ambas cosas por igual. Vale, esto me suena ...
fedorqui's user avatar
  • 33.9k
6 votes
4 answers
41k views

A la mañana / De la mañana / En la mañana / Por la mañana

Objective Clarification on the differences among A la mañana / De la mañana / En la mañana / Por la mañana. This is more of a memo of what I learned but I also appreciate any suggestions/feedback. '...
mon's user avatar
  • 647
5 votes
7 answers
13k views

«Por la mañana» frente a «en la mañana»

Mientras voy calificando algunos escritos de mis alumnos, he notado que a pesar de lo que les digo en clase, escriben cosas como «Me ducho en la mañana» o «salgo en la noche», frases en las cuales ...
user0721090601's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
136 views

Why did so many contractions fall out of use in Spanish?

Up until the 18th century, written Spanish used many contractions of prepositions: de él > dél de ello > dello de algo > dalgo de ese > dese de este > deste de este otro > destotro de entrambos > ...
jacobo's user avatar
  • 19.2k
4 votes
1 answer
15k views

"pensando en ti" vs. "pensando de ti" vs. "pensándote"

When using the verb pensar to describe thinking about a person, there are at least three options: Estoy pensando en ti. Estoy pensando de ti. Estoy pensándote. What are the differences between these ...
jrdioko's user avatar
  • 17.5k
23 votes
6 answers
2k views

"Vaso de agua" or "vaso con agua"? Which is correct?

English What's the correct way to express that something "serves as a container for something else"? Example: ¿Quieres un vaso de/con agua? Should we use de or con? Are both correct? Why? If we ...
Alfredo Osorio's user avatar
15 votes
1 answer
9k views

Why is the cycle race called La Vuelta "a" España, not "de"?

The title says it all really. Before we started using the vernacular names we always called it the tour of Spain. What is this? a. not really understood by Spanish speakers as a tour belonging to ...
mdewey's user avatar
  • 5,361
12 votes
6 answers
1k views

Why do oler and saber take the preposition "a"?

As an English speaker learning Spanish, I was always a little confused that it smells and tastes "to" something rather than "of" something: Huele a humo. Sabe a ajo. I would think of "a" as implying ...
jrdioko's user avatar
  • 17.5k
10 votes
1 answer
12k views

When to add prepositions before an infinitive verb (por/para/a/de)?

With the infinitive form of a verb in English, (e.g. to speak), the word 'to' seems to convey a specific meaning where, in Spanish, an additional preposition is used in some cases. Examples: I can ...
jasonmcclurg's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
12k views

¿Es correcto usar dos preposiciones iguales seguidas?

Tengo una duda con respecto al uso de preposiciones en la que mi cerebro lingüístico me dice una cosa, y mi cerebro lógico me dice otra. Os lo explico con un ejemplo. El verbo depender viene siempre ...
Alicia's user avatar
  • 1,756
6 votes
1 answer
2k views

What is the difference between using "por" for causation/reason and "para" for purpose?

I understand a lot of the uses of por and para. But there is a certain context that I am having trouble on. I get the feeling that causation/reason is for things that are going to happen and have ...
munchschair's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
3k views

Spanish phrasal verbs

Español La característica más difícil del idioma inglés (al menos en mi caso particular) son los "Phrasal verbs". Hoy me encontré una oración en un periódico que me hizo pensar sobre la existencia ...
Nicolás Ozimica's user avatar
6 votes
4 answers
5k views

When to use 'a' and when to use 'para'?

Es correcto decir 'Voy a Chicago' y 'Voy para Chicago' (I'm going to Chicago)? If so , how and when 'a' and 'para' are different?
angel rojas's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
1k views

"a" personal en "Yo les presento a mi novio a mis padres"?

Estaba viendo la pregunta sobre el "a" personal y empecé a estudiar un poco el asunto. Me quedé con la duda, qué pasa con la "a" personal en caso de que se agregue a un objeto indirecto. Pensé en ...
Sironsse's user avatar
  • 686
5 votes
2 answers
1k views

¿Qué diferencia hay entre "deber" y "deber de"? [duplicate]

¿Hay diferencia en significado en estas dos afirmaciones? ¿O solamente una es correcta? De serlo, ¿cuál es su connotación? Debo haber dejado mis llaves en el auto. Debo de haber dejado mis ...
Schwale's user avatar
  • 5,590
4 votes
2 answers
151 views

Why is "al que" used in the sentence 'Colocarán un reloj, *al que* deberá dar cuerda'?

I've been reading through the book "La mecánica del corazón" and I am confused about the use of al que in this sentence: Para salvarlo, le colocarán un reloj de madera, al que deberá dar cuerda ...
Sionnach's user avatar
  • 129
4 votes
1 answer
729 views

Cannot use adverbs + possessives: "delante de ti" v/s "delante tuyo"

In Spanish there are some adverbs followed by de: Delante de, atrás de, en frente de, etc... When these adverbs are followed in a sentence by a declined pronoun, they are often "contracted" ...
Nicolás Ozimica's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
98 views

más/menos como preposición

Desde hace tiempo, pienso que el «más» operador matemático debería escribirse sin acento diacrítico. Lo digo por las siguientes razones: Se pronuncia casi siempre sin acento fonético: Véase 'En ...
Guillermo BCN's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
118 views

Origin of the grammar of "mañana por X"-type phrases?

I was wondering how phrases like mañana por la tarde and mañana por la mañana came about. Grammatically they seem really odd, as opposed to the simple "tomorrow afternoon" and "tomorrow morning," ...
temporary_user_name's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
140 views

What preposition is grammatical after the verb "participar"? "en" or "de". Does the right preposition depend of context?

E.g. Participar de olimpiadas Moreover, is there a general rule for the use of these preposition after a verb or a book/website where I can check which preposition correspond to a given verb?
justanotherguy's user avatar
3 votes
3 answers
172 views

Use of preposition "a" instead of "que" in "más" / "menos" comparisons

In a very recent question: "Más me gusta X entonces Y" construction, a comparison with the following structure is used: Más me gusta X a Y. Until now, I've only seen "a" used in ...
user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
58 views

Specific usage case of prepositions for manner indication

For the case of manner indication, I am unsure which preposition becomes more appropriate for which instances. An example of what I mean is : Vamos a Italia en tren. Vamos a Italia a tren. Is this ...
Abe Shudug's user avatar
3 votes
4 answers
721 views

nuevos zapatos por/para España?

I am learning Spanish and want to post a picture of my new running shoes that I will be using in the Madrid marathon. Which is correct? nuevos zapatos por España or nuevos zapatos para España ...
Edward Tanguay's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
63 views

"Mi hermano prepara la sopa para nosotros." Is "nosotros" an indirect object, and does it follow different rules because of "para" vs "a"?

I have 2 questions. I'm pretty sure that the answer to question #1 is "yes," and question #2 assumes that #1 is correct. Is "nosotros" an indirect object in this sentence? "...
capet's user avatar
  • 535
1 vote
4 answers
776 views

Use of the preposition ''de''

Could you explain the use of the preposition ''de'' in this sentence? Hablo un poco de español Does it indicate possession?
V.Lydia's user avatar
  • 405
1 vote
1 answer
449 views

Is the phrase "un poco de" an example of partitive?

Following the discussion related to the question Use of the preposition ''de'', I want to ask a separate (but strongly related) explicit question: Is the phrase un poco de an example ...
Honza Zidek's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
82 views

triste de/por/con

I have been recently told that Me quedé triste de eso is idiomatic in Spanish. Are "por" and "con" correct and usual instead of "de" in this context? Examples: Me quedé triste por eso. Me quedé ...
Alan Evangelista's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
3k views

Difference between preposition "a" and "de"?

What is the difference between the preposition 'a' and 'de'? I am not sure if they both mean 'to/from'.
Tia27's user avatar
  • 715