Core prepositions: a, de, en, per, amb
Direction, location, time, origin, cause, purpose, company, and contractions.
Prepositions package relationships, not single translations
Learn each preposition through its main functions and common combinations. English “in”, “to”, “for”, and “with” rarely map one-to-one. Catalan also contracts a/de with masculine definite articles.
The core system
| Preposition | Core uses | Natural examples |
|---|---|---|
| a | direction, point location, clock time, rate/price | Vaig a Vic. · Ens veiem a les sis. · a deu euros el quilo |
| de | origin, possession, material, topic, content | Soc de Reus. · una taula de fusta · parlar de feina |
| en | interior/location, manner, periods, transport expressions | en una capsa · en català · en dos dies · en tren |
| per | cause, route, means, duration, exchange, agent | per tu · pel centre · per correu · per dos dies |
| per a | purpose, intended recipient, deadline in formal standard | un regal per a tu · per a demà |
| amb | company, instrument, manner, ingredients | amb la Laia · amb ganivet · cafè amb llet |
| contra | opposition or physical contact | contra la paret · votar contra la proposta |
A versus en for place
A presents a destination or location as a point, especially with towns, familiar places, and set expressions: a Barcelona, a casa, a classe. En highlights being inside a bounded/indefinite space or precedes many determiners: en una oficina, en aquest barri. Usage varies by dialect, and both can occur before some place phrases with a shift of focus.
Contractions and apostrophes
| Input | Output | Not before a vowel |
|---|---|---|
| a + el / els | al / als | a l’aeroport |
| de + el / els | del / dels | de l’hotel |
| per + el / els | pel / pels | per l’avinguda |
Per and per a without panic
In central speech per often covers both cause and intended purpose, while careful written Catalan maintains per a where purpose, destination, or deadline is explicit. Say Ho faig per tu when your motivation is “because of/for your sake”; Aquest regal és per a tu clearly marks recipient.
Examples in context
Demà vaig a Tarragona en tren.
Tomorrow I’m going to Tarragona by train.
Treballa en una oficina del centre.
She works in an office in the centre.
Hem quedat a les set davant del teatre.
We’re meeting at seven in front of the theatre.
Aquest jersei és de llana i està fet a mà.
This jumper is wool and is handmade.
T’envio els documents per correu.
I’m sending you the documents by email/mail.
Necessito l’informe per a divendres.
I need the report for Friday.
Vols venir amb nosaltres al concert?
Do you want to come with us to the concert?
Han deixat les bicicletes contra la paret.
They left the bicycles against the wall.
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