Core Grammar ComponentsbeginnerCEFR A1

Common Prepositions: En, A, De, Con, Sin, Al, Del

What You'll Learn

Use 5 core prepositions - EN, A, DE, CON, SIN with all their major uses
Master al/del contractions - Automatically combine a+el and de+el correctly
Describe location precisely - Use sobre, bajo, entre, delante de, detrás de, enfrente de
Express time relationships - Use desde, hasta, durante, antes de, después de
Navigate movement - Understand when to use por for physical movement
Por vs Para in-depth? - Check out our comprehensive Por vs Para guide for all the differences

Overview / Usage

Prepositions are the small words that connect everything in Spanish! They tell us where things are, when things happen, and how things relate to each other. At A1 level, you only need a handful of essential prepositions to communicate effectively.

🎯 The Magic Contractions

Spanish has two special contractions you MUST know from day one:

a + el = al
Voy al parque

de + el = del
Vengo del banco

This page teaches you the essential prepositions every A1 learner needs, plus the two mandatory contractions that will make you sound natural from the start!

Structure & Formation

🎯 Part 1: The Essential Five

1. EN - In, On, At (Very Versatile!)

EN is extremely versatile in Spanish with many important uses:

Location

Estoy en casa

I am at home

El libro está en la mesa

The book is on the table

Vivo en Madrid

I live in Madrid

Time (months, years, seasons)

En enero

In January

En 2024

In 2024

En verano

In summer

Method / Means of Transport

Voy en coche

I go by car

Viajo en autobús

I travel by bus

En avión

By plane

States / Conditions

En silencio

In silence

En secreto

In secret

En paz

In peace

Language

En español

In Spanish

En inglés

In English

Hablar en francés

To speak in French

Fixed Expressions

En serio

Seriously

En general

In general

En realidad

Actually / In reality

2. A - To, At (Many Uses!)

A is extremely common in Spanish with diverse uses:

⚠️ CONTRACTION ALERT!

a + el = AL (ALWAYS!)

❌ Voy a el parque
✅ Voy al parque

Movement Toward a Place

Voy a la escuela

I go to school

Voy al parque

I go to the park (a + el = al)

Caminamos a la playa

We walk to the beach

Personal A (with people)

Llamé a mi madre

I called my mother

Visité a mis amigos

I visited my friends

Veo a Juan

I see Juan

Time (at)

La clase empieza a las 9

The class starts at 9

Como a las dos

I eat at two o'clock

Nos vemos a medianoche

We'll see each other at midnight

Manner / Way

Hecho a mano

Handmade

Hablar a gritos

To talk by shouting

A pie

On foot

Indirect Object (to/for)

Le di el libro a Juan

I gave the book to Juan

Dile la verdad a ella

Tell the truth to her

Escribo a mi hermana

I write to my sister

After Certain Verbs

Empiezo a estudiar

I begin to study

Aprendo a bailar

I learn to dance

Te invito a comer

I invite you to eat

Speed / Rate / Price

A 100 kilómetros por hora

At 100 km/h

A 10 euros el kilo

At 10 euros per kilo

Dos veces a la semana

Twice a week

⚠️ Special Case: "CASA"

✅ Estoy EN casa (I'm at home) - location
✅ Voy A casa (I'm going home) - movement
❌ Estoy a casa - NEVER! This doesn't exist!

3. DE - From, Of, About (Most Versatile!)

DE is one of the most versatile prepositions in Spanish with many uses:

⚠️ CONTRACTION ALERT!

de + el = DEL (ALWAYS!)

❌ Vengo de el banco
✅ Vengo del banco

Origin / Coming From

Vengo de Madrid

I come from Madrid

Soy de España

I'm from Spain

Possession

El libro del profesor

The teacher's book

La casa de María

María's house

Material / Content

Una mesa de madera

A wooden table

Un vaso de agua

A glass of water

Description / Type

La clase de español

The Spanish class

Un hombre de negocios

A businessman

Time of Day

Las tres de la tarde

Three in the afternoon

Las ocho de la mañana

Eight in the morning

Cause / Reason

Muero de hambre

I'm dying of hunger

Temblando de frío

Shivering from cold

4. CON - With (Multiple Uses)

CON never changes form and has several important uses:

Accompaniment (with people/things)

Vivo con mi familia

I live with my family

Café con leche

Coffee with milk

Hablo con mi amiga

I talk with my friend

Instrument / Tool

Corto con un cuchillo

I cut with a knife

Escribo con bolígrafo

I write with a pen

Lo hago con mis manos

I do it with my hands

Manner / Description

Con cuidado

Carefully / with care

Un hombre con barba

A man with a beard

Con alegría

With joy / joyfully

Fixed Expressions

Con permiso

Excuse me (when passing)

Con razón

No wonder / that's why

Con tal de que

Provided that

5. SIN - Without (Versatile Negation)

SIN means "without" and is used in various contexts:

Basic Absence (without)

Café sin azúcar

Coffee without sugar

Salgo sin paraguas

I go out without an umbrella

Sin dinero

Without money

Before Infinitives

Sin decir nada

Without saying anything

Sin hablar

Without speaking

Sin pensar

Without thinking

Fixed Expressions

Sin duda

Without a doubt / doubtless

Sin embargo

However / nevertheless

Sin problema

No problem

States / Conditions

Sin terminar

Unfinished

Sin hacer

Undone

Sin miedo

Fearless / without fear

⚡ Part 2: The Contractions in Action

Learn the Contractions

AL = a + el

✅ Voy al cine	(to the cinema)
✅ Llego al mediodía	(at noon)
✅ Voy a la playa	(no contraction with la)
✅ Voy a los parques	(no contraction with los)

DEL = de + el

✅ Vengo del banco	(from the bank)
✅ El coche del profesor	(the teacher's car)
✅ Vengo de la escuela	(no contraction with la)
✅ Los libros de las niñas	(no contraction with las)

Remember: ONLY with "el" - never with la, los, or las!

🕐 Part 3: Time Prepositions

Time Ranges: DESDE / DURANTE

DESDE (from/since)

Desde las ocho

From/since eight o'clock

Trabajo desde el lunes

I work since Monday

DURANTE (during/for)

Durante el verano

During the summer

Durante tres años

For three years

HASTA - Until, Up to, Even (Very Versatile!)

HASTA is extremely versatile with 5 major uses:

Time (until)

Trabajo hasta las 6

I work until 6

Quédate hasta mañana

Stay until tomorrow

Distance/Space (up to, as far as)

Camina hasta la esquina

Walk up to the corner

Llegamos hasta la playa

We made it as far as the beach

Limit/Extent

Comí hasta no poder más

I ate until I couldn't anymore

Había gente hasta en el pasillo

There were people even in the hallway

"Even" (emphasis)

¡Hasta tú puedes hacerlo!

Even you can do it!

Hasta los niños lo saben

Even the children know it

Range: desde... hasta...

Abierto desde las 9 hasta las 5

Open from 9 to 5

Estudio desde las 9 hasta la 1

I study from 9 until 1

Trabajo de lunes a viernes

I work from Monday to Friday

Time Sequence: ANTES DE / DESPUÉS DE

ANTES DE (before)

Antes de comer

Before eating

Antes de salir

Before leaving

DESPUÉS DE (after)

Después de trabajar

After working

Después de cenar

After dinner

📍 Part 4: Location Prepositions

Vertical Position

SOBRE (on top of)

El libro está sobre la mesa

The book is on the table

Sobre el armario

On top of the wardrobe

BAJO / DEBAJO DE (under)

El gato está bajo la cama

The cat is under the bed

Debajo de la mesa

Under the table

💡 Note: "Bajo" and "debajo de" are similar, but "debajo de" is more common in everyday speech.

Horizontal Position

DELANTE DE (in front of)

Delante de la casa

In front of the house

El coche está delante del garaje

The car is in front of the garage

DETRÁS DE (behind)

Detrás de la puerta

Behind the door

El jardín está detrás de mi casa

The garden is behind my house

ENFRENTE DE (opposite/across from)

Enfrente de la iglesia

Opposite the church

Mi casa está enfrente del parque

My house is across from the park

ENTRE (between)

Entre el banco y el supermercado

Between the bank and the supermarket

Entre tú y yo

Between you and me

🚶 Part 5: Movement Preposition

POR - Through/Along Physical Spaces

Use por to describe moving THROUGH or ALONG a physical space.

Camino por el parque

I walk through the park

El autobús pasa por mi calle

The bus goes along my street

Pasamos por el centro

We go through the city center

💡 Want to master por vs para? Por has many more uses beyond physical movement! Check out our comprehensive Por vs Para guide to learn all the differences.