a
Lemma Details
Translation: to; at; in; on; by; from
Part of Speech: preposition
Etymology: The Spanish preposition 'a' comes from Latin 'ad' meaning 'to, toward'. Over time, the final 'd' was lost in the evolution to Spanish. This is similar to how Latin 'ad' evolved into French 'à'. The English preposition 'at' shares the same Indo-European root, though English 'at' comes through Germanic rather than Latin paths.
Commonality: 100%
Guessability: 70%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of 'a' as pointing 'at' something, similar to the English 'at'.
- The Spanish 'a' often corresponds to 'to' in English, as in 'Voy a Madrid' (I'm going to Madrid).
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
The preposition 'a' is one of the most fundamental and frequently used words in Spanish. It appears in countless expressions and has multiple uses that don't always align with English prepositions. It's essential for forming the personal 'a' construction, which is used before direct objects that are people or personified things.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'A' is a preposition meaning 'to', while 'ha' is a form of the verb 'haber' (to have) used as an auxiliary verb in perfect tenses.
This word:
Voy a casa.
I'm going to home.
Confused word:
Él ha comido.
He has eaten.
Notes: The 'h' in 'ha' is silent in Spanish, making these two words sound identical.
Mnemonic: 'Ha' has an 'h' like 'have' in English, while 'a' is just 'a' like 'at'.
Explanation: 'A' is a preposition meaning 'to', while 'o' is a conjunction meaning 'or'.
This word:
Hablo a mi amigo.
I speak to my friend.
Confused word:
Café o té.
Coffee or tea.
Notes: Both are very common single-letter words in Spanish with completely different functions.
Mnemonic: Think of 'o' as having a shape that gives you options (like 'or'), while 'a' points to a specific direction (like 'to').