"De" drives me crazy! Help!
I’m frustrated by using “de” where I shouldn’t and not using it where I should.
I’ve done all the searches and I even bought a book on Spanish prepositions & pronouns (plus my textbook). There are hundreds of specific, individual examples of how to use “de,” but no general rules—no comprehensive discussion. In the following, how does one know when to use "de" vs an alternative word?
De can mean:
Of, but so can por, en, entre, sobre et al.
With, but so can con, contra, asi que, et al.
From, but so can desde and por.
About, but so can sobre, por and acerca de.
As, but so can como.
If, but so can si.
To, but so can “a” and hasta.
I'd be forever grateful if someone could refer me to a good, comprehensive discussion on the use of "de."
4 Answers
Frank:
You are not on your own. Yes, I just feel the same way! Prepositions are just crazy!
I'll try and find something that explains the use of "de" for you. In the meantime, could you refer me a good, comprehensive discussion on the use of on/in/at?
Let's be patient on... (in ? over? about?) ...this.
how does one know when to use "de" vs an alternative word?
I am not fluent in Spanish so I don't recognize all its uses, either.
I don't think there's a rule for this.
The trick is to become intimately familiar with DE and with all the other Spanish words (that's called "being fluent"...heh)...such that you able to quickly ascertain the context in which DE is being used.
Let's consider an English example. I, and many English speaking people, pronounce meteor and meatier exactly the same (they are spelled differently, I know, but let's ignore that fact for now).
There's no rule about when to use the sound /?m?-t?-?r/ to mean "more meaty" or to mean "a rock falling from the heavens."
But my intimate familiarity not only with the sound /?m?-t?-?r/ but also a great deal of other English sounds allows me to easily discern what /?m?-t?-?r/ is being used to mean in the two following sentences:
I saw a /?m?-t?-?r/ flash across the sky.
Her hamburger stew was much /?m?-t?-?r/ than Della's.
.
If I didn't have an intimate familiarity with words like sky, flash, hamburger, and stew, then even if I were aware of the two possible meanings for the sound /?m?-t?-?r/, I still might not know which way it was being used.
.
Also, frequently it's okay to say something a number of ways.
I've got no money on me. = I've got no money with me.
Should I use "on" or "with"? Well, I can use either in this case. So, we can say "cuesta más de cinco dolares" or "cuesta más que cinco dolares" (or at least I think we can).
.
As you practice reading, writing, speaking, and listening to Spanish, you will gradually increase your familiarity with various words...gradually be better able to quickly establish context for all the words.
If you're like me, Spanish sounds a lot like this...
Blah blah blah casa de Juan es blah blah blah tengo que irme ahora blah blah blah de trabajo blah blah blah.
Gradually I become more familiar with various Spanish words and I hear fewer blahs.
Well, that was rambly, but there might be some useful stuff in there somewhere.
I've had similar problems for a loooooong time with "para" and "por". Kind of a different situation, but, I finally have made a way that I understand to remember how to differentiate. I think you'll have to combine reading the official answers to this, and just living through experiences and having people tell you when something doesn't make sense and explain why. Hopefully you have a some close and understanding amigos like me. 
Never be afraid to make mistakes in front of Spanish-speakers. They are your greatest method of learning and are generally happy to help.
"De" can mean "than," too.
Anyway, the secret is context. And English can and does have the same sort of mushiness in its words, too...especially in its prepositions.
Just try to adequately explain how to use English words like on, get, or for to a foreigner who is trying to learn English.
