A2Spanish · Grammar

Prepositions of movement

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Lesson

Spanish Prepositions of Movement: a, de, por, hacia

Hello! 👋 Today we're diving into the world of Spanish prepositions that help us describe movement and direction. With these, you'll know how to say you're going to the shop, coming back from work, walking through the park, or looking towards the sea. Ready? Let's get started!

  • The preposition a (to, at): We use this to indicate a specific destination or endpoint we are heading towards or arriving at. It often appears with verbs of motion like ir (to go) and llegar (to arrive).
  • The preposition de (from, of): This indicates origin, a starting point, or the place from which something is moving away. It's often used with verbs like venir (to come) and salir (to leave).
  • The preposition por (through, along, by): This describes movement through an area, a route, a means of transport, or the place you pass through.
  • The preposition hacia (towards, in the direction of): This indicates the general direction of movement, but doesn't necessarily mean you'll reach the destination. It's more about the general orientation.
Verb of motion + preposition + place/direction
PrepositionMain Meaning (Movement)ExampleTranslation
ato, at (specific destination)Vamos a la playa.We're going to the beach.
defrom, of (origin, starting point)Vengo de la escuela.I'm coming from school.
porthrough, along, by (route, means)Paseamos por el parque.We walk through the park.
haciatowards, in the direction of (general direction)Miramos hacia el mar.We look towards the sea.

Voy a Madrid.

I'm going to Madrid.

Ella viene de la tienda.

She's coming from the shop.

Paseamos por el centro.

We walk through the city centre.

Miro hacia la ventana.

I look towards the window.

Vamos a la estación.
Vamos hacia la estación.

Use a when you mean a specific destination you will reach. Use hacia when talking about a general direction, without guaranteeing arrival.

Watch out! ⚠️ Remember that a always combines with the masculine definite article el to form al (e.g., Voy al supermercado - I'm going to the supermarket). Similarly, de with el gives del (e.g., Vengo del trabajo - I'm coming from work). This is a very common mistake!
💡 Memory trick: A for 'Arrival' (you're reaching a destination), HACIA for 'Heading Towards' (you're going in that direction, but might not get there!).

Excellent! You now know the basic prepositions of movement in Spanish. Practise them regularly, and they'll quickly become second nature to you. ¡Mucha suerte! 🚀

Test yourself

9 questions. Answer them all, then check — you'll see what you got right and what to fix.

  1. 1

    Complete the sentence

    Pasamos la aduana sin problemas.

    We went through customs without any problems.

  2. 2

    Complete the sentence

    La panadería está .

    The bakery is on the left.

  3. 3

    Complete the sentence

    La cocina está , en la planta baja.

    The kitchen is downstairs, on the ground floor.

  4. 4

    Complete the sentence

    El pájaro voló el árbol alto.

    The bird flew towards the tall tree.

  5. 5

    Complete the sentence

    El gato está , en el tejado.

    The cat is up on the roof.

  6. 6

    Complete the sentence

    Ella viaja Londres por trabajo.

    She is travelling to London on business.

  7. 7

    Complete the sentence

    Gira en el semáforo.

    Turn right at the traffic lights.

  8. 8

    Complete the sentence

    Saltó la cama muy temprano.

    He jumped out of bed very early.

  9. 9

    Match each word to its meaning

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