Conjugate Spanish verb

Spanish preposition 'a'

The preposition a can be used to:

indicate motion
  • a la playa - we are going to the beach
    !! See also 'hacia' and 'para'
    hacia la playa
    para la playa
  • el regalo a Carmen - he gives the present to Carmen
connect two verbs
  • a - we will see
indicate how things are done
  • a pie - we go on foot
  • lo a mano - I did it by hand
    !! See also 'con' and 'de'
    lo con mano
    lo de mano
indicate time
  • a las seis - at six o'clock
  • a la medianoche - at midnight
indicate speed
  • a 100 km por hora - we were going 100 km per hour
indicate distance
  • un lago a 3 kilómetros - there is a lake 3 kilometers away
indicate periodicity
  • dos veces a la semana - twice a week
    !! See also 'por'
    dos veces por la semana
express an order/demand (A + verb)
  • ¡A ! - eat!
  • ¡A ! - sleep!

Personal 'a'

If in Spanish the direct object is a person or pet, it is proceded by the preposition ‘a’. It's not used in English, and there's no direct translation for it.
  • Yo a Sonia - I see Sonia
  • Yo a ellas - I see them
  • Yo a mi hermano - I see my brother
  • La mujer a su perro - The woman caresses her dog
Doesn't count with the verbs
(to have, to own) and (to have as auxiliary verb)
  • Yo un hermano - I have a brother
Doesn't count if the direct object isn't a person or pet.
  • Yo una hamburguesa - I see a hamburger
  • una jirafa - I see a giraffe


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