Spanish Prepositions explained: types, uses, and examples

Key takeaways

• Spanish prepositions are small words that connect ideas and add meaning about place, time, cause, and direction.
• Most Spanish prepositions do not change form and must be learned as fixed parts of expressions.
• Some prepositions are grouped by meaning (place, time, cause), while others are grouped by structure (simple, compound, phrasal).
• Common mistakes include confusing **por** and **para**, omitting required prepositions, or using unnecessary ones.
• Regular practice with real examples helps you use Spanish prepositions naturally and confidently.

Learning Spanish can feel like a lot at first, especially when small words seem to have many meanings. But prepositions are one of the fastest ways to make your speech clearer. Once you understand them, it becomes easier to explain where you are going, why something happened, and how things relate — in both casual chats and more formal situations.

In this article we will explore what a preposition is, the different types that exist and how to use them correctly with simple examples.

What are prepositions in Spanish?

Prepositions are invariable words (i.e. they do not change) and their main function is to connect other words to each other within a sentence. They allow us to relate one noun to another, a verb to a place, or an action to a cause. Prepositions add important details about where, when, why or how something happens. Examples of prepositions in Spanish:

• El perro está en el jardín. (The dog is in the garden.)
• Voy a la escuela todos los días. (I go to school every day.)
• Lo hice por ti. (I did it for you.)
• Llegué tarde porque llovía. (I was late because it was raining.)
• Está corriendo con su amigo. (He is running with his friend.)

As you can see, prepositions help us provide more information about the context of an action or situation.

List of Spanish prepositions and their meaning

Types of Spanish prepositions and common uses

There are several types of prepositions depending on the relationship they express in the sentence. Below, we will learn the most important ones and how they are used with the help of some examples.

Prepositions of place

These prepositions indicate where something occurs or where someone/something is in space. Examples of prepositions of place:

• El libro está sobre la mesa. (The book is on the table.)
• La pelota está debajo de la cama. (The ball is under the bed.)
• El gato se esconde detrás de la puerta. (The cat is hiding behind the door.)
• Nos sentamos entre los árboles. (We sit among the trees.)
• El concierto será en el centro comercial. (The concert will be at the mall.)

Prepositions of time

These prepositions tell us when something happens, that is, they signal a temporal relationship. Examples of prepositions of time:

• Nos vemos después de la clase. (See you after class.)
• El tren sale a las 8 de la mañana. (The train leaves at 8 o'clock in the morning.)
• Viajamos durante las vacaciones. (We are traveling during the vacations.)
• El examen es en una semana. (The exam is in a week.)
• Llegó antes de la hora acordada. (He arrived before the agreed time.)

Prepositions of cause

These prepositions are used to explain the motive or reason for an action. Examples of prepositions of cause:

• No pude venir por la lluvia. (I couldn't come because of the rain.)
• El proyecto fue cancelado debido a la falta de presupuesto. (The project was canceled due to lack of budget.)
• Lo hizo por culpa de un malentendido. (He did it because of a misunderstanding.)
• Ganó el premio gracias a su esfuerzo. (He won the prize because of his effort.)
• Perdí el vuelo a causa de un accidente en la carretera. (I missed the flight because of an accident on the road.)

Prepositions of direction or movement

These prepositions tell us where something or someone is going. Examples of prepositions of direction or movement:

• Vamos hacia la estación. (We are going toward the station.)
• Camina en dirección a la montaña. (He walks in the direction of the mountain.)
• El avión vuela hasta Madrid. (The plane flies to Madrid.)
• Se dirigió contra el viento. (He headed against the wind.)
• Envió el paquete a su amigo. (He sent the package to his friend.)

Prepositions of company

These prepositions indicate with whom or without whom an action is performed. Examples of prepositions of company:

• Salgo con mis amigos esta noche. (I'm going out with my friends tonight.)
• Hizo la tarea sin ayuda. (He did his homework without help.)
• Voy con mi hermana al teatro. (I go with my sister to the theater.)
• Siempre viaja con su familia. (She always travels with her family.)
• Prefiero estudiar sin distracciones (I prefer to study without distractions.)

Prepositions of manner

These prepositions explain how an action is performed. Examples of prepositions of manner:

• Escribió la carta con mucho cariño. (He wrote the letter with great affection.)
• Trabaja de manera eficiente. (He works in an efficient way.)
• Respondió con calma a la situación. (He responded calmly to the situation.)
• Llegaron según lo planeado. (They arrived as planned.)
• Me lo aprendí de memoria. (I learned it by heart.)

Other common prepositions

In addition to the above categories, there are prepositions that are very common and are not necessarily limited to a single category. Examples of common prepositions:

• Está sobre el escritorio. (It's on the desk.)
• Voy para la casa de mi abuela. (I'm going to my grandmother's house.)
• Habló ante el público con seguridad. (He spoke to the audience with confidence.)
• Lo hizo por amor a su familia. (He did it out of love for his family.)
• Lo haré según las instrucciones. (I will do it as instructed.)

Types of Spanish Prepositions by Structure

Spanish prepositions can also be grouped by their form. Understanding this makes them easier to recognize and memorize.

Simple prepositions

 These are single-word prepositions and are the most common in everyday Spanish.
Examples: a, de, en, con, por, para, sin

Compound prepositions 

These consist of two or more words but function as one unit in a sentence.
Examples: al lado de (next to), encima de (on top of), debajo de (under)

Phrasal prepositions

 These are fixed expressions that include a preposition and must be learned as a whole.
Examples: a pesar de (despite), antes de (before), después de (after)

Knowing whether a preposition is simple or compound helps you avoid mistakes and makes your sentences sound more natural.

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Common mistakes with Spanish prepositions (and How to Avoid Them)

Although prepositions are small, it is easy to make some mistakes when using them. Here we will review some typical mistakes and how to avoid them:

Confusion between “por” and “para”

One of the most frequent mistakes is to confuse the prepositions por and para, since in English and other similar languages these two words can be translated in the same way, but in Spanish, they have different meanings and uses.

Por is used to express cause, means or reason. It is also used to indicate approximate time or when something occurs within a period of time.

Para, on the other hand, is used to express purpose, destiny or aim. Examples of the use of the prepositions “por” and “para” :

Incorrecto: "Gracias para venir." 
Correcto: "Gracias por venir." (“Thank you for coming.”)

Incorrecto: "Este regalo es por ti." 
Correcto: "Este regalo es para ti." (“This gift is for you.”)

Omitting prepositions

Another common mistake is to omit prepositions when they are necessary. This can happen because in some languages prepositions are not used in the same situations as in Spanish. In Spanish, some words need to be accompanied by prepositions for the meaning to be correct. Examples of omission of prepositions:

Incorrect: "Voy pensar eso." (“I'm going to think that.”) 
Correct: "Voy a pensar en eso." (“I'm going to think about it.”)

Incorrect: "Confío tú." 
Correct: "Confío en ti." (“I trust you.”)

To avoid this type of error, it is useful to memorize the most common combinations of verbs with prepositions, since they often do not follow a direct logic, but are part of fixed expressions in the language.

Prepositions used incorrectly in common phrases

Some idiomatic expressions and idioms in Spanish require specific prepositions, and changing these prepositions can alter the meaning or make the sentence sound incorrect.

For example, some prepositions cannot be freely interchanged without changing the meaning of what we mean. Examples of misuse of prepositions:

Incorrect: "Pensar sobre ti." 
Correct: "Pensar en ti." (“To think about you.”)

Incorrect: "Soñar de algo." 
Correct: "Soñar con algo." (“To dream of something.”)

Excessive use of prepositions

Occasionally, beginning students tend to use prepositions where they are not necessary. This happens because sometimes, in English and other languages, prepositions are used in places where Spanish does not need them, which can lead to unnecessary saturation. Examples of excessive use of prepositions:

Incorrect: "Me gusta de escuchar música” 
Correct: "Me gusta escuchar música." (“I like to listen to music.”)

Incorrect: "Voy a por agua." 
Correct: "Voy por agua." (“I'm going to get water.”)

Tips to avoid mistakes with prepositions:

Here you’ll find some extra tips to avoid making mistakes when using prepositions in Spanish:

• Learn the basic combinations of verbs with prepositions: Some verbs are always accompanied by specific prepositions. For example, "depender de" (depend on), “pensar en” (think of), “soñar con” (dream of). Memorizing these combinations will help you use prepositions correctly.
• Observe how prepositions are used in real contexts: Pay attention to how prepositions are used in conversations, texts or in media such as television or music. This will give you a better understanding of when and how to use them correctly.
• Practice with specific exercises: Spend some time doing exercises that focus on the correct use of prepositions. Practical exercises will help you internalize their uses and avoid common mistakes.

Summary

Spanish prepositions are short but powerful words, as they connect ideas within a sentence and help express relationships between place, time, cause, and more. Although they can be confusing at first, with some time and attention, you will learn to use them correctly.

Avoiding common mistakes, such as confusing “por” and “para” or omitting prepositions, will allow you to speak and write more clearly in Spanish. 

Keep practicing daily using the Promova app and you will soon master them!