Intro2Spanish.com
 
Web www.intro2spanish.com
Spanish Prepositions
Uses of the Preposition "en"
©RCAguilar
OBJECTIVE:
Really get down on the prepositions and their usages.
TASK:
Associatea concept of in with the sound en.
PERPLEXED?
... en tiempo ...
What's a "preposition?"
A preposition seems to be one of those little sounds that you make to designate a specific direction, location, area, etc. that doesn't have any other way of being described.
Prepositions are the hardest part of a language to get down, so work them to death by just repeating the phrases over and over again. They'll ingrain by themselves.
This preposition most often means "in" or "at"
SITE INFO
SITE NAVIGATION
HOME
Spanish Studies
Pronunciation
Lessons
Numbers
Time
Date
Verbs
Verb Tenses
Verb Conjugation
Grammar
Gender
Grammar Terms
Pronouns
Reflexive
Vocabulary
Adjectives
Noun Cognates
Prepositions
Verb Lists
Vocabulary Lists
Simple Prepostions
a
ante
bajo
con
contra
de
desde
durante
en
entre
excepto
hacia
hasta
mediante
para
por
salvo
según
sin
so
sobre
tras
Compound Prepositions
a causa de
acerca de
además de
adversamente a
a excepción de
a fuerza de
alrededor de
al través de
a menos de
antes de
a pesar de
cerca de
concerniente a
conforme a
congruamente a
contrario a
correspondiente a
debajo de
delante de
dentro de
después de
detrás de
en cuanto a
en frente de
en vez de
en virtud de
frente a
fuera de
junto a
lejos de
por causa de
por parte de
por razón de
relativamente a
respeto a
sin embargo de
tocante a

 
Basic questions using en:
¿Dónde?
¿En dónde? - ¿En qué?
¿Dónde? - ¿En dónde?
Where?
In(to) what?
At where?
The preposition en corresponds to English in when indicating location at or within, and into when indicating directional movement.
 
This preposition can also mean inside of, hence at times interchangeable with dentro de when dealing with enclosure.
Explanations of the uses of the preposition "en" ...
   
I.
 ... in, at, into, inside of, within (location)
II.
 ... functions as the word in when referring to a time frame, whether within that time frame or a time goal.
III.
 ... functions as the word in when used as a descriptive. This is a more figurative usage.
IV.
 ... functions as the word on or upon when enclosure is not necessarily the case.
I.
en
 in, at, into, inside of, within (location)
... en la cocina. ... in the kitchen.
... en la clase. ... in class.
... en el refrigerador. ... in the refrigerator; ... inside the fridge
... en la selva. ... in the forest; ... into the forest.
... en el hotel. ... inside the hotel; ... into the hotel; ... at the hotel.
... en un restaurante. ... in(to) a restaurant; ... at a restaurant.
... en las cantinas. ... inside the pubs; ... into the pubs; ... at the pubs.
... en Barcelona. ... within Barcelona; ... into Barcelona; ... at Barcelona.
... en el trabajo. ... in the workplace; ... at work.
... en el garaje. ... in the garage; ... at the shop.
... en la biblioteca de Alexandria. ... at the library of Alexandria.
 
II.
En functions as the word in when referring to a time frame, whether within that time frame or a time goal*.
... en la mañana ... ... in the morning ...
... en el día ... ... during the day ...
... en la tarde ... ... in the afternoon / evening ...
... en la noche ... ... at night / during the night ...
... en una hora ... ... in one hour ...
... en un día ... ... in one day ...
... en una semana ... ... in one week ...
... en un mes ... ... in one month ...
... en un año ... ... in one year ...
... en 5 minutos ... ... in 5 minutes ...
... en 10 minutos ... ... in 10 minutes ...
... en 15 minutos ... ... in 15 minutes ...
... en 20 minutos ... ... in 20 minutes ...
... en media hora ... ... in half an hour ...
... en 2 horas ... ... in 2 hours ...
... en 2 horas y media ... ... in 2 and a half hours ...
... en 5 horas ... ... in 5 hours ...
... en 4 días ... ... in 4 days ...
... en 5 semanas ... ... in 5 weeks ...
... en 3 meses ... ... in 3 months ...
... en 12 meses ... ... in 12 months ...
... en 15 años ... ... in 15 years ...
... en enero ... ... in January ...
... en agosto ... ... in August ...
... en setiembre ... ... in September ...
... en octubre ... ... in October ...
... en un año ... ... in one year ...
... en 15 años ... ... in 15 years ...
... en el otoño ... ... in the fall - autumn ...
... en la primavera ... ... in the spring ...
... en el verano ... ... in the summer ...
... en el invierno ... ... in the winter ...
*I did it in five minutes. Obviously different from I'll do it in five minutes. The second example shows a time goal to be carried out in the future.
III.
En functions as the word in when used as a descriptive. This is a more figurative usage.
Déjame en paz. Leave me in peace.
... en mal humor. ... in a bad mood.
... en mangas cortas. ... in a short-sleeved shirt.
... en mal estado. ... in bad shape; .. in a bad way.
... en pedazos. ... in pieces.
... en voz baja. ... in a low voice.
 
IV.
En functions as the word on or upon when enclosure is not necessarily the case.
Ponlo en la mesa. Put it on the table.
... sentado en la cama. ... sitting on the bed.
... en la televisión. ... on TV.
... en el calendario. ... on the calendar.
... en el estacionamiento. ... on the parking lot.
... en la calle. ... in the street; ... on the street.
... en la cara. ... on the face.
... en mano. ... onhand.