Mastering Spanish Prepositions: Simple & Complex Forms, the Personal a, and Por vs. Para
Welcome to your complete revision guide for Section 3.3.9 (Prepositions) of the AQA AS Level Spanish specification (7691). Prepositions are the essential glue of the Spanish language. They connect nouns, pronouns, and phrases to build smooth, coherent sentences.
Mastering these prepositions will give you an immediate advantage in Paper 2 (Writing and Translation into Spanish) and boost your accuracy marks in Paper 3 (Speaking). Don't worry if distinguishing between words like por and para feels intimidating at first—once you learn the core rules and logic, you will be able to tackle any translation with confidence!
---1. Simple Prepositions
A simple preposition is a single-word connector that shows the relationship between different parts of a sentence (such as direction, location, time, or instrument).
The Core Simple Prepositions
Here are the required single-word prepositions you must know and be able to use accurately for your AQA exam:
• a: to, at
• ante: before, in the face of (e.g., in front of an authority or situation)
• bajo: under, below
• con: with
• contra: against
• de: of, from, about
• desde: from, since
• durante: during, for (duration)
• en: in, on, at
• entre: between, among
• hacia: towards
• hasta: until, up to, as far as
• mediante: by means of, through
• para: for, in order to
• por: for, by, through, because of
• según: according to
• sin: without
• sobre: on, about, over
• tras: after, behind
Crucial Contraction Rules (Examiner Focus!)
In Spanish, two specific prepositions must mandatory merge when followed by the masculine singular definite article el. Forgetting these contractions is one of the most common low-level errors flagged in AQA examiner reports:
• a + el = al (e.g., Voy al cine — NOT Voy a el cine)
• de + el = del (e.g., El libro del profesor — NOT El libro de el profesor)
Note: Do not contract with feminine or plural articles (a la, a los, de las stay separate).
Key Takeaway: Simple prepositions are single words. Always check your work in translation tasks to ensure you have combined a + el into al and de + el into del.
---2. Complex Prepositions (Prepositional Phrases)
Complex prepositions are multi-word phrases that function exactly like a single preposition. Most complex prepositions in Spanish end with de or a.
1. Prepositions of Place & Location
• al lado de: next to, beside
• cerca de: near, close to
• debajo de: underneath, below
• delante de: in front of
• detrás de: behind
• encima de: on top of
• lejos de: far from
2. Prepositions of Time
• antes de: before (followed by a noun or an infinitive verb, e.g., antes de salir)
• después de: after (followed by a noun or an infinitive verb, e.g., después de comer)
3. Cause, Contrast & Alternative
• a pesar de: in spite of, despite
• debido a: due to, owing to
• gracias a: thanks to
• en lugar de / en vez de: instead of
Key Takeaway: Complex prepositions allow you to add precision and variety to your writing. Remember that phrases like antes de and después de are followed directly by the infinitive when describing actions.
---3. The Personal a
In English, we say "I see Maria" and "I see the table" using the exact same sentence structure. However, Spanish has a unique rule to honour and specify human beings: the personal a.
When to Use the Personal a
You must place the preposition a immediately before a direct object when:
1. The direct object is a specific person: e.g., Veo a María (I see Maria).
2. The direct object is a personified animal or beloved pet: e.g., Escucho a mi perro (I listen to my dog).
Verbs of Perception
Take extra care with verbs of perception such as ver (to see), mirar (to watch/look at), oír (to hear), and escuchar (to listen to). Whenever their object is a person, the personal a is mandatory:
• Miro a mis amigos. (I look at my friends.)
• Oigo a la profesora. (I hear the teacher.)
When NOT to Use the Personal a (Common Pitfalls)
• Inanimate Objects: Never use the personal a with non-living objects or things.
Incorrect: Veo a la casa.
Correct: Veo la casa. (I see the house.)
• Non-Specific / Undefined Persons: If you are not referring to a specific individual, omit the a.
• Busco camarero. (I'm looking for a waiter / any waiter, not a specific person.)
• The Verb Tener: As a general rule, do not use the personal a after tener.
• Tengo dos hermanos. (I have two brothers.)
Exception: You only use a after tener if it expresses a special emotional state or condition concerning a person:
• Tengo a mi madre enferma. (I have my mother ill / I'm dealing with my mother being sick.)
Key Takeaway: Ask yourself: Is the direct object a specific human or pet? If yes, include a (and remember to contract to al if followed by el!).
---4. Discrimination of Por and Para
Both por and para often translate to "for" in English, which causes frequent confusion. The best way to master them is to understand their fundamental direction of thought:
• Por looks backward (focusing on the cause, motivation, origin, or medium).
• Para looks forward (focusing on the goal, destination, recipient, or deadline).
When to Use Por (Cause & Movement)
• Cause or Reason (out of / because of): Lo hizo por miedo. (He did it out of fear.)
• Duration of Time: Viví allí por dos años. (I lived there for two years.)
• Movement through, along, or by: Pasamos por el parque. (We passed through the park.)
• Exchange or Price: Te doy diez euros por el libro. (I'll give you ten euros for the book.)
• Means of Communication or Transport: Hablamos por teléfono. (We spoke by phone.)
• Authorship: Un cuadro por Picasso. (A painting by Picasso.)
When to Use Para (Goal & Recipient)
• Purpose ("in order to" + infinitive): Estudio para aprender. (I study in order to learn.)
• Destination: Salgo para Madrid. (I am leaving for Madrid.)
• Recipient: El regalo es para ti. (The present is for you.)
• Deadline or Specific Future Time: La tarea es para mañana. (The homework is for tomorrow.)
• Opinion: Para mí, es importante. (In my opinion / For me, it is important.)
5. Common Pitfalls to Avoid in the Exam
1. Translating English "for [time]" with para:
English speakers naturally want to say para dos semanas. This is incorrect. Duration of time must always take por or durante (e.g., Viví allí por dos años).
2. Para vs. Porque:
• Use para + infinitive to say "in order to do something" (e.g., Trabajo para ganar dinero).
• Use porque + conjugated verb to give a reason (e.g., Trabajo porque necesito dinero).
3. Overusing or Underusing the Personal a:
Always check your direct objects. If you wrote Escucho la profesora, correct it to Escucho a la profesora. If you wrote Compré a un libro, remove the a because a book is an inanimate object.
4. Missing Contractions:
Double-check every instance where a or de meets el. Write al and del without exception.
Quick Revision Checklist
Before submitting any translation or essay in your AQA exam, run through this quick mental check:
• Did I contract a + el to al and de + el to del?
• Did I include the personal a for people and pets with verbs of perception?
• Did I avoid using the personal a with inanimate objects and general categories?
• Did I use por for duration, reasons, movement through, and exchanges?
• Did I use para for purpose (+ infinitive), deadlines, recipients, and destinations?