vs
QUICK ANSWER
"Encima de" is a phrase which is often translated as "on", and "por encima de" is a preposition which is often translated as "over". Learn more about the difference between "encima de" and "por encima de" below.
encima de(
ehn
-
see
-
mah
deh
)A phrase is a group of words commonly used together (e.g., once upon a time).
por encima de(
pohr
ehn
-
see
-
mah
deh
)A preposition is a word that indicates the relationship between a noun and another word (e.g., He ran through the door.).
a. above
La marea subió dos metros por encima de sus niveles normales.The tide rose two meters above its normal levels.
a. higher up than
Sólo la directora gerente está por encima de él.Only the managing director is higher up than he is.
a. higher than
Los resultados del test indican que su inteligencia está por encima de la media.The test results show that she has a higher than average intelligence.
a. despite
Se volvió artista por encima de la oposición de sus padres.She became an artist despite her parents' opposition.
