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"a", "en", "de", "por", "para", "con"

"a", "en", "de", "por", "para", "con"

3
votes

I am really confused at times whether to use the preposition "a", or the preposition "en", for starters. Secondly, "de" has possibly also been used in instances when it seems like "a" or "en" would be used. Most of all, sometimes it is confusing whether you have to use "de" or if there is no preposition needed at all. Furthermore, I have seen "por" used when it seems like "de" would be used. Finally, there may have been some instances of the prepositions "con" and "para" being used when it did not appear to make sense at first, though there has not been much confusion. That's basically it.

8609 views
updated Jan 6, 2013
posted by Ray_Vanek-1ohnson
You have my vote of confusion...I wish I knew. Just when I think I have something figured out, it changes. - 0095ca4c, Jan 6, 2013
Great question! - francobollo, Jan 6, 2013

3 Answers

1
vote

Prepositions are perhaps one of the most difficult subjects in grammar. They change from language to language and sometimes they do not even make sense. The English language relies heavily on prepositions (hence the well known prepositional phrases). Spanish is looser when it comes to prepositions. Examples:

¿Dónde está el libro? En la nevera. No native Spanish speaker would even attempt look for the book inside the refrigerator but on top of it. In English, you'd have to say on top of the refrigerator. If you said in the refrigerator, a native English speaker would open the refrigerator door.

I throw my Spanish-speaking friends off by asking them to master things like:

Pick up vs. Pick on vs. Pick off vs. Pick out

Recoger vs. Molestar vs. Lanzar vs. Seleccionar.

Their answer is always the same: Why not just say "Pick" y se acabó... lol

As far as learning prepositions goes, a piece of advice from someone who has studied several languages would be to learn them, memorize them and don't fight them or compare them to your own language. Their choice are the result of many years of usage and acceptance by the native speakers.

updated Jan 6, 2013
posted by francobollo
Thanks Franco! : ) - rac1, Jan 6, 2013
1
vote

We have many great reference articles here at SD.

Para and Por

Personal "a"

Prepositions

Basic Prepositions

updated Jan 6, 2013
edited by rac1
posted by rac1
Good answer! - francobollo, Jan 6, 2013
0
votes

Yeah, ^^ what he said.

updated Jan 6, 2013
posted by ladawki143