Language/Catalan/Grammar/Introduction-to-prepositions

Catalan Grammar → Basics of Catalan grammar → Introduction to prepositions

As a Catalan language teacher with 20 years of experience, I know that prepositions are a fundamental part of any language. They are essential for conveying location, time, and movement, and they can help you express relationships and connections between various parts of a sentence. In this lesson, we will explore the basics of prepositions in Catalan, including the most common prepositions and how to use them in sentences. By the end of this lesson, you will have a solid understanding of prepositions in Catalan, which will help you communicate more effectively in both spoken and written Catalan.

What are prepositions?

Prepositions are words that link nouns, pronouns or phrases to other words in a sentence. They indicate relationships between words, such as direction, location, time, manner or purpose. Some common prepositions in Catalan include "a" (to), "amb" (with), "de" (of) and "en" (in).

Common prepositions in Catalan

Here is a list of some of the most common prepositions in Catalan:

Catalan	Pronunciation	English
a	/ə/	to
abans de	/əˈβans də/	before
amb	/əm/	with
a través de	/ə ˈtɾavɛs də/	through
damunt de	/dəˈmun də/	on top of
de	/də/	of
després de	/dəsˈpɾɛs də/	after
durant	/duˈɾan/	during
en	/ən/	in
entorn de	/ənˈtɔɾn də/	around
entre	/ənˈtɾe/	between
per	/pəɾ/	for
per davant de	/pəɾ dəˈβant də/	in front of
sense	/ˈsɛnsə/	without
sota	/ˈsɔtə/	under
sobre	/ˈsɔbɾə/	over

Note that some of these prepositions have contracted forms. For example, "per a" becomes "per" in most cases.

Using prepositions in Catalan

Prepositions can be used in different ways in Catalan, and their use may not be exactly the same as in other languages. Here are some examples:

• Location: "Vaig a la botiga." (I'm going to the store.)
• Time: "La reunió serà a les quatre de la tarda." (The meeting will be at four o'clock in the afternoon.)
• Purpose: "Serveix el cafè amb llet." (Serve the coffee with milk.)
• Manner: "Van arribar a peu." (They arrived on foot.)
• Possession: "La clau del cotxe és dins la cartera." (The car key is inside the wallet.)

When using prepositions, it is important to select the correct preposition and to use it in the correct context. Incorrect use of prepositions can change the meaning of a sentence or make it unclear.

Practice makes perfect

To become proficient in using prepositions in Catalan, it is important to practice using them in various contexts. Here are some exercises to help you get started:

• Write five sentences using the preposition "a."
• Write five sentences using the preposition "de."
• Write a short paragraph about your daily routine, using at least three different prepositions.
• Read a Catalan text and identify all the prepositions used.

Keep in mind that learning a language takes time, and it is important to be patient and persistent in your efforts. The more you practice using prepositions in Catalan, the more comfortable and natural it will become.

I hope you found this lesson useful and informative. In the next lesson, we will explore other facets of Catalan grammar, including verb conjugation. Keep up the good work!

Table of Contents - Catalan Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

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Introduction to Catalan

• Alphabet and Pronunciation
• Basic Sentence Structure

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Greetings and Introductions

• Common Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

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Articles and Nouns

• Definite and Indefinite Articles
• Noun Gender and Plurals

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Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Telling Time

  ---

Adjectives and Pronouns

• Adjective Agreement
• Personal Pronouns

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Describing Relationships

  ---

Verbs and Tenses

• Regular Verbs
• Irregular Verbs

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Food and Dining

• Food Vocabulary
• At the Restaurant

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Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Common Prepositions
• Coordinating Conjunctions

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Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel Phrases

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Catalan Culture

• History and Geography
• Traditions and Celebrations

Related Lessons

• Ablative Case in Catalan
• Interrogative Words in Catalan
• How to Use Be
• Pronouns
• Locative Case in Catalan
• Cardinal Numbers in Catalan
• Questions
• Past tense conjugation
• Comparatives and Superlatives
• Future Tense