Spanish Grammar - Prepositions - part two
Spanish grammar lesson 17: Prepositions - part two
Prepositions generally come before nouns or pronouns, forming phrases that give information about the subject, such as location, for example.
Exercise: Here we continue our list of prepositions. The corresponding words in English vary depending on the context of use, but the most common translations are in color italics. Remember of course that the English words themselves often have more than one meaning. Read carefully, listen to, and repeat each sentence aloud.
entre (between, among, in, to)
Las convulsiones duran entre uno y dos minutos.
(The seizures last between one and two minutes.)
El interés en el idioma español está aumentando entre los estudiantes nuevos.
(Interest in the Spanish language is increasing among the new students.)
hacia (toward, about, around)
La tormenta va hacia San Antonio.
(The storm is going toward San Antonio.)
Mi primo llegó hacia las tres de la tarde.
(My cousin arrived around three in the afternoon.)
hasta (until, up to, as far as)
Pedro usó las muletas hasta que le quitaron el yeso.
(Peter used the crutches until they took the cast off of him.)
El drenaje quirúrgico del abceso puede tomar hasta una hora.
(The surgical drainage of the abscess can take up to an hour.)
mediante (by means of, with the help of)
La herida cicatrizará mejor mediante el uso de la pomada de triple antibiótico.
(The wound will heal better by means of using the triple antibioitic ointment.)
para (for, towards, in order to, to, by) - see also "para" vs. "por"
Esta inyección de factor ocho es para el paciente con hemofilia.
(This factor eight injection is for the patient with hemophilia.)
por (by, for, on, along, around, over, in, via, because of, on account of, on behalf of, in order to, by means of, as, after, in exchange for, per) - see also "para" vs. "por"
Por usar el bastón, evitó la caída.
(By using the cane, he avoided the fall.)
según (according to)
Según las propagandas, esa curita es maravillosa.
(According to the advertising, that bandaid is marvelous.)
sin (without, besides, not including)
No es una buena idea conducir sin cinturón de seguridad.
(It is not a good idea to drive without a seatbelt.)
sobre (on, above, over, about, around, on top of, upon, against, out of)
La enfermera colocó la cobija sobre la paciente.
(The nurse put the blanket on the patient.)
El helicóptero voló sobre la multitud.
(The helicopter flew over the crowd.)
tras (after, behind, besides, in search of, in pursuit of)
Todos tuvieron diarrea tras ingerir comida grasosa.
(Everybody had diarrhea after ingesting greasy food.)
La policía iba tras los ladrones en fuga.
(The police were going in pursuit of the fleeing robbers.)
vía (vía, through)
Las noticias se han recibido vía satélite.
(The news has been received via satellite.)
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