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"En vez de" is a preposition which is often translated as "instead of", and "lugar" is a noun which is often translated as "place". Learn more about the difference between "en vez de" and "lugar" below.
en vez de(
ehn
behs
deh
)A preposition is a word that indicates the relationship between a noun and another word (e.g., He ran through the door.).
1. (general)
a. instead of
¿Por qué no me ayudas en vez de quedarte ahí mirando?Why don't you help me instead of sitting there watching?
el lugar(
loo
-
gahr
)A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
1. (location)
2. (position)
3. (situation)
a. place
Si te pusieras en mi lugar verías que no es fácil ser yo.If you put yourself in my place, you'd see it isn't easy being me.