Prepositions are an essential part of Spanish grammar, especially at an intermediate level where sentences and expressions become more complex. They are short words that connect and establish relationships between words in a sentence. This chapter will focus on the use of prepositions in complex Spanish sentences.
First, let's start with some of the most common prepositions in Spanish: a, de, en, para, por, con, sin, sobre, entre, hacia, hasta, Desde. Each of these has one or more specific uses and sometimes multiple meanings depending on the context.
The preposition 'a' is used to indicate direction, destination, or the recipient of an action. For example, "Voy a la escuela" (I'm going to school), "Le di el libro a Juan" (I gave the book to Juan).
'From' is used to indicate origin, ownership, material or content. For example, "Soy de España" (I'm from Spain), "El libro de María" (Maria's book), "Una taza de café" (A cup of coffee).
'En' can indicate location, means, time, or manner. For example, "Estoy en casa" (I'm at home), "Vamos en coche" (We're going by car), "En verano" (In summer), "En silencio" (In silence).
'To' is used to indicate purpose, destination, deadline, or opinion. For example, "Esto es para ti" (This is for you), "El regalo es para Ana" (The present is for Ana), "Para mañana" (For tomorrow), "Para mí, es importa" (For me , is important).
'By' has many uses, including cause, means, approximate place, approximate time, exchange, unit of measure. For example, "Por la lluvia, no salí" (Because of the rain, I didn't go out), "Hablamos por teléfono" (We talk on the phone), "Ando por el parque" (I walk through the park), "Por la mañana" ( In the morning), "Lo compré por 20 euros" (I bought it for 20 euros), "Vendemos per kilo" (We sell it by the kilo).
'Con' indicates company, means, or manner. For example, "Voy con mi hermano" (I'm going with my brother), "Corto con tijeras" (I cut with scissors), "Con atendimento" (Carefully).
'Sin' indicates absence or lack. For example, "Voy sin mi hermano" (I'm going without my brother), "Café sin azúcar" (Coffee without sugar).
'About' can indicate place, topic, approximate time. For example, "El libro está sobre la mesa" (The book is on the table), "Hablamos sobre politica" (We talk about politics), "Sobre las ocho" (Around eight).
'Between' indicates intermediate position, inclusion, or distribution. For example, "Está entre los mejores" (It's among the best), "Entre tú y yo" (Between you and me), "Repartimos entre todos" (We share it among all).
'Hacia' indicates direction or approximate time. For example, "Voy hacia la salida" (I'm heading towards the exit), "Hacia las ocho" (Around eight).
'Hasta' indicates place or time limit. For example, "Desde aquí hasta casa" (From here to home), "Hasta mañana" (See you tomorrow).
'From' indicates starting point of place or time. For example, "Desde Madrid hasta Barcelona" (From Madrid to Barcelona), "Desde ayer" (Since yesterday).
Each preposition has its own rules and exceptions, and some prepositions can be used with certain verbs to create idioms. Therefore, it is important to practice and become familiar with using each preposition in different contexts in order to master its use in complex sentences. Remember that the correct preposition can completely change the meaning of a sentence, so choose carefully!
