Mastering Prepositions in GCSE Spanish
Welcome to your complete revision guide for Spanish Prepositions! Prepositions are small words like to, of, for, and without that connect ideas, describe relationships, and show sequence. In the Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) Spanish course (1SP1), mastering prepositions will instantly boost your accuracy across all four exam papers: Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing.
Don't worry if Spanish prepositions seem slightly different from English at first. Once you learn a few clear patterns, you will be able to apply them with complete confidence. Let's break them down step-by-step!
1. The "Personal a" (La 'a' personal)
One unique feature of Spanish grammar is the personal a. In English, we say "I see my brother." In Spanish, whenever the direct object of a verb is a specific person (or a named pet / personified entity), you must place the preposition a directly before them.
When to Use the Personal a
Always include a before specific people:
• Conozco a María. (I know María.)
• Veo a mi hermano. (I see my brother.)
• Visito a mis abuelos. (I visit my grandparents.)
The Contraction Rule with a
If the person is masculine singular and preceded by the definite article el (the), the preposition a and el merge together to form al:
• \(a + el = al\)
• Veo al profesor. (I see the teacher — NOT ~~Veo a el profesor~~).
When NOT to Use the Personal a
Keep an eye out for these three important exceptions:
1. Inanimate Objects (Things): Never use personal a with non-human objects.
• Veo la película. (I watch the film — NOT ~~Veo a la película~~).
2. The Verb tener (to have): The verb tener is a special exception and does not take the personal a.
• Tengo dos hermanas. (I have two sisters — NOT ~~Tengo a dos hermanas~~).
3. Non-specific / Indefinite People: If you are not referring to a specific individual, drop the a.
• Busco un camarero. (I am looking for a waiter / any waiter).
Key Takeaway: If you are doing an action to a specific human being (except with tener), add a! If it's a masculine noun with el, remember to combine: \(a + el = al\).
2. The Preposition de (Possession, Origin, and Material)
In English, we often show ownership using an apostrophe-s (e.g., Marta's house). However, Spanish has no apostrophe 's structure. Instead, Spanish strictly uses the preposition de (of / from).
Expressing Possession
To show who owns something, use the following pattern:
[Thing possessed] + de + [Owner]
• La casa de Marta. (Marta's house.)
• El coche de mi padre. (My father's car.)
The Contraction Rule with de
Just like with a, when de is followed by the masculine singular article el, they must combine into del:
• \(de + el = del\)
• El libro del profesor. (The teacher's book — NOT ~~El libro de el profesor~~).
Origin and Material
We also use de to describe where someone or something comes from, or what an object is made of:
• Origin: Soy de Madrid. (I am from Madrid.)
• Material: Una mesa de madera. (A wooden table / a table of wood.)
Key Takeaway: Never try to write an English-style apostrophe in Spanish (~~Marta's casa~~). Always use la casa de Marta, and remember that \(de + el = del\).
3. Prepositions Followed by the Infinitive
Here is one of the most important golden rules for GCSE Spanish:
The Golden Rule: In Spanish, when a verb immediately follows a preposition, it must ALWAYS be in the infinitive form (the basic verb ending in -ar, -er, or -ir). In English, we often use the "-ing" form (e.g., without stopping, after eating), but in Spanish, using a gerund (-ando / -iendo) after a preposition is strictly incorrect!
Four Essential GCSE Structures
1. para + infinitive (expresses purpose: "in order to" or "to")
• Specification Example: para ver (in order to see / to see)
• Sentence: Estudio mucho para aprobar los exámenes. (I study hard to pass the exams.)
2. sin + infinitive (expresses absence: "without doing something")
• Specification Example: sin parar (without stopping)
• Sentence: Salió sin comer. (He/she left without eating.)
3. antes de + infinitive (expresses sequence: "before doing something")
• Specification Example: antes de salir (before leaving / going out)
• Sentence: Antes de cenar, me lavo las manos. (Before having dinner, I wash my hands.)
Top tip: Make sure you do not forget the de! It is always antes de.
4. después de + infinitive (expresses sequence: "after doing something")
• Specification Example: después de comer (after eating)
• Sentence: Después de hacer los deberes, juego a los videojuegos. (After doing homework, I play video games.)
Top tip: Just like above, never forget the de! It is always después de.
Key Takeaway: Whenever you see para, sin, antes de, or después de, lock the next verb into its original infinitive form.
4. Fixed Verb + Preposition Patterns (Régimen Preposicional)
In Spanish, certain verbs are naturally paired with specific prepositions to link them to an infinitive or a noun. Learning these fixed pairs will help your writing and speaking sound natural and authentic.
Verbs Paired with a
• ir + a + infinitive / place: Voy a estudiar (I am going to study); Voy a la playa (I go to the beach).
• aprender + a + infinitive: Aprendo a hablar español (I am learning to speak Spanish).
• empezar / comenzar + a + infinitive: Empiezo a trabajar (I start working / to work).
• ayudar + a + someone: Ayudo a mi madre (I help my mother).
• jugar + a + sport/game: Requires a (which contracts to al before masculine sports): Juego al fútbol (I play football); Juego al baloncesto (I play basketball).
Verbs Paired with en, con, and de
• pensar + en: Pienso en mis vacaciones (I think about/of my holidays).
• soñar + con: Sueño con viajar (I dream of/about travelling).
• acabar + de + infinitive: Acabo de llegar (I have just arrived).
• tratar + de + infinitive: Trato de mejorar (I try to improve).
Key Takeaway: Think of these verbs and prepositions as best friends that travel together: aprender a, jugar al, pensar en, soñar con, and acabar de.
5. Examiner Pitfalls & Common Mistakes to Avoid
Examiners regularly report the same small errors in GCSE Spanish papers. Review this quick checklist so you do not lose easy marks!
1. The Gerund Trap (Translating "-ing" literally)
• Incorrect: ~~Después de jugando al tenis...~~
• Correct: Después de jugar al fútbol... (Always use the infinitive after prepositions!).
2. Dropping the de from antes de / después de
• Incorrect: ~~Antes salir de casa~~
• Correct: Antes de salir de casa...
3. Overusing or Forgetting the Personal a
• Forgetting it with people: ~~Veo mi madre~~ \(\implies\) Veo a mi madre.
• Using it with tener: ~~Tengo a un hermano~~ \(\implies\) Tengo un hermano.
• Using it with inanimate objects: ~~Compro a un coche~~ \(\implies\) Compro un coche.
4. Forgetting the Contractions (al and del)
• Incorrect: ~~Voy a el cine~~ \(\implies\) Correct: Voy al cine.
• Incorrect: ~~El perro de el chico~~ \(\implies\) Correct: El perro del chico.
5. Inventing Spanish Apostrophes
• Incorrect: ~~Pedro's casa~~ or ~~Pedro casa~~
• Correct: La casa de Pedro.
Quick Revision Summary Checklist
Before your exam, test yourself against these key points:
• Can I use the personal a before people and pets, but leave it out for tener and inanimate objects?
• Do I automatically change \(a + el \rightarrow al\) and \(de + el \rightarrow del\)?
• Do I express possession using [item] + de + [owner]?
• Do I always use an infinitive after para, sin, antes de, and después de?
• Do I know the fixed prepositions for jugar a, pensar en, soñar con, and acabar de?