Spanish Prepositions: Durante, Hasta, Sobre, Según, Contra

Prepositions in Spanish function much the same way they do in English. They are words that precede a noun or pronoun to express its relationship with another part of the sentence, often in terms of time, location, direction, or manner. In this article, we will delve into the meanings and uses of five commonly used Spanish prepositions: durante, hasta, sobre, según, and contra.

Durante

The Spanish preposition “durante” is akin to the English preposition “during” or “for”. It’s commonly used to indicate a period or duration of time. The noun or pronoun that follows “durante” is the period in which an action occurs.

Example: Estudié durante dos horas. (I studied for two hours.)

Hasta

“Hasta” corresponds to “until” or “up to” in English. It can denote a limit in space or time.

Example: Voy a trabajar hasta las cinco. (I’m going to work until five.)

Note that “hasta” can also be used in a compound preposition “hasta que“, which means “until”. In this case, it’s followed by a clause instead of a noun.

Example: Voy a trabajar hasta que termine este proyecto. (I’m going to work until I finish this project.)

Sobre

“Sobre” has various translations in English, including “on”, “about”, “over”, and “above”. The specific translation depends on the context in which it’s used.

Example: El libro está sobre la mesa. (The book is on the table.)
Example: Estoy leyendo un libro sobre la historia de España. (I’m reading a book about the history of Spain.)

Según

“Según” translates to “according to”, “depending on”, or “as per” in English. It’s used to express agreement with someone’s opinion, or to show the source of information.

Example: Según María, la película es muy buena. (According to Maria, the movie is very good.)

Contra

Finally, “contra” translates as “against” or “versus”. It can indicate opposition or resistance, or it can be used to compare or contrast things.

Example: Estoy en contra de la violencia. (I’m against violence.)
Example: Hoy es el partido de Barcelona contra Madrid. (Today is the match of Barcelona versus Madrid.)

Each of these prepositions plays a crucial role in structuring sentences and conveying specific relations between words in Spanish. Therefore, a thorough understanding of their uses and nuances can significantly enhance your Spanish language skills.

Check out our series of Complete Spanish Grammar articles – everything you’ll ever need to know about Spanish grammar.

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