ata / desde / entre / sobre / cara a
More Prepositions: Ata, Desde, Entre and Sobre
Desde ... ata marks a start and an end: Traballo desde as nove ata as cinco (I work from nine until five). Entre means between, sobre means on or about, and cara a means towards: Camiña cara ao mar (She walks towards the sea).
How It Works
Ata: until or as far as: ata as cinco (until five), ata Lugo (as far as Lugo), ata logo (see you later). The form até is also correct. Ata can also mean even: Ata un neno o entende (Even a child understands it).
Desde and dende: both mean from or since, and both are correct: desde a xanela (from the window), dende o luns (since Monday).
Ranges: pair de with a, or desde with ata: de luns a venres, desde as nove ata as cinco. De and a contract with an article, but desde and ata do not: das nove ás cinco (from nine to five).
Entre: between or among: entre o banco e a igrexa (between the bank and the church).
Sobre: on top of, or about a topic: sobre a mesa (on the table), un libro sobre Galicia (a book about Galicia). With a time or amount it means around: sobre as seis (around six).
Cara a: towards, in space or time: cara a Vigo, cara ao mar, cara ás nove (towards nine o'clock). Its a contracts just like the preposition a; see ao and á.
Contra, baixo and tras: contra means against: O Celta xoga contra o Deportivo. Baixo means under, often in set phrases: tres graos baixo cero (three degrees below zero). Tras means behind or after: tras a porta (behind the door), día tras día (day after day). For everyday position, debaixo de and detrás de are more common.
Galician forms: hasta and hacia are Spanish. Say ata and cara a.
Examples (6)
- Traballo desde as nove ata as cinco.
I work from nine until five.
Word by Word: Work-I from the nine until the five.
desde ... ata marks a range.
- A biblioteca abre de luns a venres.
The library is open from Monday to Friday.
Word by Word: The library opens from Monday to Friday.
de ... a marks a range too.
- Merquei un libro sobre Galicia.
I bought a book about Galicia.
Word by Word: Bought-I a book about Galicia.
- Camiña cara ao mar.
She walks towards the sea.
Word by Word: Walks towards to-the sea.
cara a + o = cara ao.
- A farmacia está entre o banco e a igrexa.
The pharmacy is between the bank and the church.
Word by Word: The pharmacy is between the bank and the church.
- Dende a miña xanela vese o porto.
You can see the harbour from my window.
Word by Word: From the my window sees-itself the harbour.
dende is an equally correct form of desde.
Common Mistakes
Using the Spanish word hasta.
Traballo hasta as cinco.Traballo ata as cinco.Hasta is not a Galician preposition. Use ata, or its variant até.
Using the Spanish word hacia.
Camiña hacia o mar.Camiña cara ao mar.Towards is cara a in Galician.
Dropping the a of cara a before an article.
Camiña cara o mar.Camiña cara ao mar.The preposition is cara a, and its a contracts with the article: cara ao, cara á. You may hear cara o in speech, but the written standard is cara ao.
How It Connects
Learn This First
These prepositions mark limits, ranges and spatial relationships.
Related Patterns
- diante de / detrás de / preto deExpressions of Place
Two-word place expressions with de.
Level 2 - para for Purpose and Destination
Para marks a destination, and cara a marks a direction.
Level 2 - por for Cause, Route and Means
Por marks the route you pass through.
Level 2 - Dates and Days
Day names used in ranges such as de luns a venres.
Level 2 - que hora é?Telling the Time
Clock times used with desde, ata and sobre.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice ata / desde / entre / sobre / cara a in Bubblegum
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