Spanish Prepositions for Positions-Preposiciones de Lugar

This article is  on the Spanish prepositions used to express the positions of objects and people , e.g. what are the counterparts of on,under, inside, outside etc. in Spanish?

ON

sobre, encima (de), en

For example, let us answer the question

•  ¿ Dónde está el ordenador? (where is the computer?)
• El ordenador está sobre la mesa (The computer is on the table)

There is another preposition with the meaning "on" and it is "encima". 

• El ordenador está encima de la mesa (The computer is on the table)

Note that "encima" is used together with "de" but sobre is used directly with the noun.

sobre=encima de

You may also see that the preposition "en" is used also for "on". So it is possible to say

• El ordenador está en la mesa (The computer is on the table)

But "en" can also mean "inside". In the above sentence it is clear that the computer can not be in the table. But in  cases where it can mean "in/inside" avoid using "en". Instead choose one of the other two prepositions (sobre=encima de).

UNDER

debajo de

The preposition which means under in Spanish is debajo. It is used together with "de" as well.

• La pelota está debajo de la mesa (The ball is under the table)

INSIDE

dentro (de), en 

• La pelota está dentro de la caja (The ball is in the box)

As said above, the preposition "en" can also mean "in/inside

OUTSIDE

fuera (de)  

• La pelota está fuera de la caja (The ball is in the box)

IN THE MIDDLE/ CENTER

en el centro de or en el medio de can be used:

• la mesa está en el centro de/ en el medio de la habitación (The table is in the middle of the room)

ON THE LEFT

a la izquierda (de) means on the left hand side (of something)

• mi casa está a la izquierda  (my house is on the left hand side)
• la fotocopiadora está a la izquierda del (de+el) ordenador (the fotomachine is on the left hand side of the computer)

! In a Spanish sentence, if "el" comes after "de", the abbreviation "del" is used.

ON THE RIGHT

a la derecha (de)

• El ordenator está a la derecha de la fotocopiadora (The computer is on the right hand side of foto machine)

! If you would like to say "something is on my left/right hand side, use "a mi izquerda/derecha" :

• El ordenador está a mi izquierda (The computer is on my left hand side)
• El ordenador está a mi derecha (The computer is on my right hand side)

BETWEEN

entre

• El ordenador está entre la fotocopiadora y la ventana (The computer is between the foto machine and the window)

IN FRONT OF

delante (de)

• El ordenador está delante de la ventana (The computer is in front of the window)

BEHIND

detrás (de)

• la ventana está detrás de la masa (The window is behind the table)

CLOSE/NEAR/NEXT

There are three possibilities:

al lodo (de) 

junto a 

cerca (de)

FAR FROM

lejos (de)

! Note that the sentences that define the place of an object/someone are made with the to be verb "estar" not with the to be verb "ser".

! Among the prepositions presented in this article only sobre, en, entre, junta a are used without "de".
Frequently used Spanish words and their pronounciation (audio)