Prepositions After Verbs and Adjectives
Unlike English, Spanish verbs and adjectives often require specific prepositions before an infinitive or noun. These combinations must be memorized, as they rarely translate directly.
Key Challenge: English "I dream about traveling" = Spanish Sueño con viajar (literally "dream WITH traveling"). The prepositions don't match!
Verbs + A + Infinitive
These verbs require a before an infinitive:
| Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| aprender a | to learn to | Aprendí a nadar. (I learned to swim.) |
| ayudar a | to help to | Te ayudo a estudiar. (I'll help you study.) |
| comenzar a | to begin to | Comenzó a llover. (It began to rain.) |
| decidirse a | to decide to | Me decidí a cambiar de trabajo. (I decided to change jobs.) |
| empezar a | to start to | Empecé a trabajar a las 8. (I started working at 8.) |
| enseñar a | to teach to | Me enseñó a cocinar. (She taught me to cook.) |
| invitar a | to invite to | Te invito a cenar. (I invite you to dinner.) |
| ir a | to be going to | Voy a llamarte. (I'm going to call you.) |
| negarse a | to refuse to | Se negó a firmar. (He refused to sign.) |
| volver a | to do again | Volvió a intentarlo. (He tried again.) |
Pattern with movement verbs:
- Salí a correr. (I went out to run.)
- Bajé a comprar el periódico. (I went down to buy the newspaper.)
- Subí a buscar mi chaqueta. (I went up to get my jacket.)
Verbs + DE + Infinitive/Noun
These verbs require de:
| Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| acabar de | to have just | Acabo de llegar. (I've just arrived.) |
| acordarse de | to remember | Me acordé de llamarte. (I remembered to call you.) |
| alegrarse de | to be happy about | Me alegro de verte. (I'm happy to see you.) |
| dejar de | to stop | Dejé de fumar. (I stopped smoking.) |
| olvidarse de | to forget | Me olvidé de comprar leche. (I forgot to buy milk.) |
| tratar de | to try to | Traté de explicarle. (I tried to explain to him.) |
| tratarse de | to be about | Se trata de un malentendido. (It's about a misunderstanding.) |
| encargarse de | to take charge of | Me encargo de la reserva. (I'll take care of the reservation.) |
| depender de | to depend on | Depende de ti. (It depends on you.) |
Verbs + EN + Infinitive/Noun
These verbs require en:
| Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| confiar en | to trust | Confío en ti. (I trust you.) |
| consistir en | to consist of | El trabajo consiste en revisar documentos. (The job consists of reviewing documents.) |
| insistir en | to insist on | Insistió en pagar. (He insisted on paying.) |
| pensar en | to think about | Pienso en ti. (I think about you.) |
| quedar en | to agree to | Quedamos en vernos a las 5. (We agreed to meet at 5.) |
| tardar en | to take time to | Tardé en entenderlo. (I took time to understand it.) |
Common error: Pensar de vs. pensar en. Use ¿Qué piensas de...? (What do you think OF = opinion) vs. Pensar en (think ABOUT = have in mind).
Verbs + CON
These verbs pair with con:
| Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| contar con | to count on | Cuento contigo. (I count on you.) |
| soñar con | to dream about | Sueño con viajar a Japón. (I dream about traveling to Japan.) |
| encontrarse con | to meet up with | Me encontré con María. (I ran into María.) |
| casarse con | to marry | Se casó con su novia. (He married his girlfriend.) |
Adjectives + Preposition + Infinitive/Noun
Adjectives also require specific prepositions:
Adjective + DE
| Adjective | Example |
|---|---|
| capaz de | Es capaz de hacerlo. (He's capable of doing it.) |
| consciente de | Soy consciente del problema. (I'm aware of the problem.) |
| digno de | Es digno de admiración. (It's worthy of admiration.) |
| fácil de | Es fácil de hacer. (It's easy to do.) |
| difícil de | Es difícil de creer. (It's hard to believe.) |
| seguro de | Estoy seguro de que vendrá. (I'm sure he'll come.) |
Adjective + A
| Adjective | Example |
|---|---|
| dispuesto a | Estoy dispuesto a ayudar. (I'm willing to help.) |
| listo a | Listo a empezar. (Ready to start.) |
| acostumbrado a | Estoy acostumbrado a madrugar. (I'm used to waking up early.) |
Adjective + CON
| Adjective | Example |
|---|---|
| contento con | Estoy contento con mi trabajo. (I'm happy with my job.) |
| satisfecho con | Estoy satisfecho con el resultado. (I'm satisfied with the result.) |
Adjective + POR
| Adjective | Example |
|---|---|
| preocupado por | Estoy preocupado por ti. (I'm worried about you.) |
| famoso por | Es famoso por sus novelas. (He's famous for his novels.) |
| responsable por | Soy responsable por este error. (I'm responsible for this mistake.) |
Contrasts with English
Many of these don't match English patterns:
| Spanish | English | Literal Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Soñar con | dream about | "dream with" |
| Pensar en | think about | "think in" |
| Enamorarse de | fall in love with | "fall in love of" |
| Fijarse en | notice | "fix oneself in" |
| Burlarse de | make fun of | "mock oneself of" |
Regional Variations
Some verbs use different prepositions in different regions:
Spain: Quedarse con (to keep) Latin America: Quedarse (no preposition often)
Both accepted: Estar enamorado de/con (to be in love with)
Practice
Completa: 'Acabo _____ llegar del aeropuerto.'
Completa: 'Me olvidé _____ comprar pan.'
Completa: 'Insistió _____ pagar la cuenta.'
Completa: 'Sueño _____ viajar por el mundo.'