a (preposició)

Basic Preposition a

Level 1

A introduces many destinations, locations and clock times.

How It Works

Use a before a city destination or location: vaig a Girona, soc a Girona. With casa in the home expression, no article is needed: torno a casa. With a definite masculine noun, contract a + el to al and a + els to als.

For clock time, use a before the time phrase: a les vuit, a la una. This differs from stating the time itself, which uses ser: són les vuit. A time phrase answers when an action happens; it is not the subject of the verb.

A does not introduce every place phrase. Expressions such as en un calaix describe containment, and established phrases have their own preposition. Learn a with the construction rather than translating every English to, at or in as the same Catalan word.

Examples (3)

  1. Demà vaig a Tarragona.

    Tomorrow I am going to Tarragona.

  2. Som a casa.

    We are at home.

  3. La classe comença a les nou.

    The class starts at nine.

How It Connects

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a (preposició)Level 1Basic Preposition a

Learn This First

Form al and als in destination phrases.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern