Prepositions of Place

Kurz erklärt

Prepositions of place show where a person or thing is. Spanish often uses en for both English in and on. More specific expressions describe position in relation to another place or object, such as debajo de (under), delante de (in front of), detrás de (behind), and al lado de (next to).

Bildung

en + place; position expression + de + noun

Verwendung

• Use en for being in, at, or on a place: en casa, en la escuela, en la mesa.
• Use encima de or sobre for on top of, and debajo de for under.
• Use delante de and detrás de for in front of and behind.
• Use al lado de, entre, cerca de, and lejos de to locate something relative to other places or objects.

Beispiele

• Estoy en casa. — I am at home.
• Las llaves están sobre la mesa. — The keys are on the table.
• El gato está debajo de la silla. — The cat is under the chair.
• El banco está al lado de la farmacia. — The bank is next to the pharmacy.

Typischer Fehler

❌ Vivo sobre México.

✅ Vivo en México.

Do not translate English in and on mechanically. Use en for location in a country, city, building, or general place.

Merke

For a general location, start with en. Use a more specific expression when the exact position matters.