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Prepositional Verbs in Spanish
Prepositional verbs in Spanish, or verbos preposicionales, are a unique and essential aspect of the language. These verbs are formed by combining a verb with a specific preposition, creating a new meaning that often differs from the original verb. For example, pensar (to think) becomes pensar en (to think about). Mastering prepositional verbs is crucial for achieving fluency in Spanish, as they are widely used in everyday conversations, writing, and formal communication.
In this blog post, we’ll explore everything you need to know about prepositional verbs in Spanish, including common expressions, conjugation rules, irregular forms, and practical examples. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, this guide will help you understand and use prepositional verbs confidently.
Common Expressions Using Prepositional Verbs
Prepositional verbs are everywhere in Spanish! Here’s a list of common expressions that you’ll encounter in daily life:
- Pensar en – To think about
Ejemplo: Pienso en ti todos los días. (I think about you every day.) - Soñar con – To dream about
Ejemplo: Anoche soñé con viajar a España. (Last night, I dreamed about traveling to Spain.) - Confiar en – To trust in
Ejemplo: Confío en mi equipo. (I trust in my team.) - Depender de – To depend on
Ejemplo: El éxito depende de tu esfuerzo. (Success depends on your effort.) - Casarse con – To marry someone
Ejemplo: Mi hermana se casó con Juan. (My sister married Juan.) - Reírse de – To laugh at
Ejemplo: Nos reímos de la situación. (We laughed at the situation.) - Enamorarse de – To fall in love with
Ejemplo: Me enamoré de este lugar. (I fell in love with this place.) - Acordarse de – To remember
Ejemplo: ¿Te acuerdas de mí? (Do you remember me?) - Olvidarse de – To forget
Ejemplo: Me olvidé de comprar pan. (I forgot to buy bread.) - Preocuparse por – To worry about
Ejemplo: No te preocupes por mí. (Don’t worry about me.)
Things to Keep in Mind
When using prepositional verbs in Spanish, there are a few key points to remember:
- Prepositions are fixed: Each verb is paired with a specific preposition. For example, soñar always uses con, and pensar always uses en. Mixing them up can change the meaning or make the sentence incorrect.
- Gender and number agreement: The verb must agree with the subject in gender and number. For example, Nosotros nos preocupamos por el examen (We worry about the exam).
- Reflexive verbs: Some prepositional verbs are reflexive, meaning they require a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se). For example, olvidarse de (to forget) requires the pronoun: Me olvidé de llamarte (I forgot to call you).
- Articles with prepositions: When a preposition is followed by a noun, the article (el, la, los, las) must agree with the noun. For example, Pienso en el futuro (I think about the future).
When to Use Prepositional Verbs
Prepositional verbs are used in various contexts, including:
- Expressing emotions: Enamorarse de (to fall in love with), preocuparse por (to worry about).
- Describing relationships: Casarse con (to marry someone), confiar en (to trust in).
- Discussing thoughts and memories: Pensar en (to think about), acordarse de (to remember).
- Talking about dependencies: Depender de (to depend on).
- Narrating dreams and aspirations: Soñar con (to dream about).
Conjugation of Prepositional Verbs
Regular Verbs
Prepositional verbs follow the same conjugation rules as regular verbs. Here’s how to conjugate them based on their endings (-ar, -er, -ir):
1. -AR Verbs (e.g., pensar en)
- Yo pienso en
- Tú piensas en
- Él/Ella/Usted piensa en
- Nosotros/Nosotras pensamos en
- Vosotros/Vosotras pensáis en
- Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes piensan en
2. -ER Verbs (e.g., depender de)
- Yo dependo de
- Tú dependes de
- Él/Ella/Usted depende de
- Nosotros/Nosotras dependemos de
- Vosotros/Vosotras dependéis de
- Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes dependen de
3. -IR Verbs (e.g., vivir en)
- Yo vivo en
- Tú vives en
- Él/Ella/Usted vive en
- Nosotros/Nosotras vivimos en
- Vosotros/Vosotras vivís en
- Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes viven en
Irregular Verbs
Some prepositional verbs are irregular and don’t follow standard conjugation rules. Here are a few common ones:
- Tener que (to have to)
- Yo tengo que
- Tú tienes que
- Él/Ella/Usted tiene que
- Nosotros/Nosotras tenemos que
- Vosotros/Vosotras tenéis que
- Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes tienen que
- Ir a (to go to)
- Yo voy a
- Tú vas a
- Él/Ella/Usted va a
- Nosotros/Nosotras vamos a
- Vosotros/Vosotras vais a
- Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes van a
- Venir de (to come from)
- Yo vengo de
- Tú vienes de
- Él/Ella/Usted viene de
- Nosotros/Nosotras venimos de
- Vosotros/Vosotras venís de
- Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes vienen de
List of Prepositional Verbs with Examples
| Verb + Preposition | Meaning | Example Sentences |
|---|---|---|
| Pensar en | To think about | 1. Pienso en mi familia. (I think about my family.) 2. ¿En qué piensas? (What are you thinking about?) |
| Soñar con | To dream about | 1. Sueño con viajar. (I dream about traveling.) 2. Ella sueña con ser famosa. (She dreams about being famous.) |
| Confiar en | To trust in | 1. Confío en ti. (I trust in you.) 2. No confíes en extraños. (Don’t trust strangers.) |
| Depender de | To depend on | 1. Dependemos del clima. (We depend on the weather.) 2. El éxito depende de ti. (Success depends on you.) |
| Reírse de | To laugh at | 1. Nos reímos de la película. (We laughed at the movie.) 2. No te rías de mí. (Don’t laugh at me.) |
| Enamorarse de | To fall in love with | 1. Me enamoré de este libro. (I fell in love with this book.) 2. ¿Te enamoraste de alguien? (Did you fall in love with someone?) |
| Acordarse de | To remember | 1. Me acuerdo de mi infancia. (I remember my childhood.) 2. ¿Te acuerdas de mí? (Do you remember me?) |
| Olvidarse de | To forget | 1. Me olvidé de comprar leche. (I forgot to buy milk.) 2. No te olvides de llamarme. (Don’t forget to call me.) |
| Preocuparse por | To worry about | 1. Me preocupo por el futuro. (I worry about the future.) 2. No te preocupes por mí. (Don’t worry about me.) |
| Casarse con | To marry someone | 1. Mi amigo se casó con María. (My friend married María.) 2. ¿Te casarás con él? (Will you marry him?) |
More Example Sentences
- Pienso en ti todos los días. (I think about you every day.)
- Soñé con ganar la lotería. (I dreamed about winning the lottery.)
- Confío en que todo saldrá bien. (I trust that everything will turn out well.)
- El proyecto depende de tu participación. (The project depends on your participation.)
- Nos reímos de sus chistes. (We laughed at his jokes.)
- Me enamoré de este lugar al instante. (I fell in love with this place instantly.)
- ¿Te acuerdas de nuestra primera cita? (Do you remember our first date?)
- Me olvidé de apagar las luces. (I forgot to turn off the lights.)
- No te preocupes por el dinero. (Don’t worry about the money.)
- Se casó con su novio de la infancia. (She married her childhood sweetheart.)
Fill in the Blanks
- Yo ___ en mi futuro. (pensar)
- Ella ___ con ser doctora. (soñar)
- Nosotros ___ de nuestros amigos. (reírse)
- ¿___ de comprar el pan? (olvidarse)
- Ellos ___ en el equipo. (confiar)
- El éxito ___ de tu esfuerzo. (depender)
- Me ___ de este lugar. (enamorarse)
- ¿___ de mí? (acordarse)
- No ___ por mí. (preocuparse)
- Mi hermana ___ con Carlos. (casarse)
Answers:
- pienso
- sueña
- nos reímos
- Te olvidaste
- confían
- depende
- enamoré
- Te acuerdas
- te preocupes
- se casó
Conclusion
Prepositional verbs are a cornerstone of Spanish grammar, and mastering them will significantly enhance your fluency. By understanding their usage, conjugation, and common expressions, you’ll be able to communicate more naturally and effectively. Practice regularly, pay attention to prepositions, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes—learning is a journey!
If you found this guide helpful, share it with your fellow Spanish learners and leave a comment below with your favorite prepositional verb.
¡Buena suerte! (Good luck!)
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