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"Dentro de" is a preposition which is often translated as "inside", and "al lado de" is a phrase which is often translated as "next to". Learn more about the difference between "dentro de" and "al lado de" below.
dentro de(
dehn
-
troh
deh
)A preposition is a word that indicates the relationship between a noun and another word (e.g., He ran through the door.).
2. (time limit)
al lado de(
ahl
lah
-
doh
deh
)A phrase is a group of words commonly used together (e.g., once upon a time).
a. with
Su esposo siempre estuvo al lado de ella cuando lo necesitó.Her husband was always with her when she needed him.
a. compared to
Nuestra casa es muy pequeña al lado de la suya.Our house is very small compared to yours.