The Preposition en
En covers English "in", "on" and "at" for places, and "in" for months, years and seasons.
How It Works
1. Location
En covers English "in", "on" and "at": Vivo en Santiago (I live in Santiago), O libro está na mesa (The book is on the table), Marta está na casa (Marta is at home). You can also say en casa without the article.
2. Time
Use en with months, years and seasons: en xullo (in July), en 2025, no verán (in summer). Days of the week take only the article: o luns (on Monday). See dates and days.
3. Transport and language
en tren (by train), en coche (by car), en galego (in Galician).
4. En or a?
En tells you where something is. When you go somewhere, the destination takes a: Estou en Vigo (I am in Vigo) but Vou a Vigo (I am going to Vigo). One exception is entrar (to go in), which takes en: Entra na casa.
5. Contractions
Before an article, en joins it: no, na, nos, nas. Some verbs always take en, such as pensar en (to think about). See verbs with fixed prepositions.
Examples (6)
- Vivo en Santiago.
I live in Santiago.
Word by Word: I-live in Santiago.
- Xoán está na cociña.
Xoán is in the kitchen.
Word by Word: Xoán is in-the kitchen.
- O meu aniversario é en xullo.
My birthday is in July.
Word by Word: The my birthday is in July.
- Imos a Madrid en tren.
We're going to Madrid by train.
Word by Word: We-go to Madrid in train.
A marks the destination and en marks the transport.
- O libro está na mesa.
The book is on the table.
Word by Word: The book is on-the table.
- Fala en galego, por favor.
Speak in Galician, please.
Word by Word: Speak in Galician, please.
Common Mistakes
Using en for a destination after ir.
Vou en Vigo mañá.Vou a Vigo mañá.Where you go takes a. En is for where you already are.
Using a for where someone lives or is.
Vivo a Santiago.Vivo en Santiago.Location takes en: vivo en, estou en, traballo en.
Writing en and the article as two words.
Xoán está en a cociña.Xoán está na cociña.When en introduces a noun with o, a, os or as, the two join: no, na, nos, nas.
How It Connects
Related Patterns
- en + o = noContractions of En with the Article
En joins a following article: no, na, nos, nas.
Level 1 - The Preposition a
A marks where you are going, while en marks where you are.
Level 1 - The Preposition de
De marks where something comes from.
Level 1 - haiThere Is and There Are: Hai
Sentences with hai often use en for the place: Hai un bar na praza.
Level 1 - Dates and Days
Months take en, but days of the week take only the article.
Level 2 - pensar en / casar con / decatarse deVerbs with Fixed Prepositions
Some verbs always take en, such as pensar en.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice The Preposition en in Bubblegum
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