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Learn essential Spanish prepositions used to indicate times of the day, such as "por la mañana," "en la noche," and "al amanecer." This lesson covers their correct usage with practical examples, helping beginners express times and periods naturally and accurately.
  1. Use "en" to indicate specific parts of the day. For example: "en la noche".
  2. Use "a" or "al" to indicate hours and precise moments. For example: "al atardecer".
  3. Use "por" to indicate general periods of the day. For example: "por la mañana".
  4. Use "de" or "del" to indicate a part of the day or a period of time. For example: "de noche".
PreposiciónEjemplo
PorPor la mañana (In the morning)
 Por la tarde (In the afternoon)
 Por la noche (At night)
EnEn la mañana (In the morning)
 En la noche (In the night)
A + el => AlAl amanecer (At dawn)
A + laA la medianoche (At midnight)
De + el => DelDel mediodía (Of midday)
De + laDe la mañana (Of the morning)
DeDe noche (At night)
 De día (Of day)

Exercise 1: Preposiciones: indicar momentos del día

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

por, En, del, de, Por, a

1.
Son las dos ... la tarde.
(It is two o'clock in the afternoon.)
2.
El viernes ... la tarde hay una comida familiar.
(On Friday afternoon there is a family lunch.)
3.
Trabajo ... la mañana.
(I work in the morning.)
4.
Hoy a las diez ... la noche voy a Portugal.
(Today at ten o'clock at night I am going to Portugal.)
5.
Hoy ... la medianoche celebro mi cumpleaños.
(Tonight at midnight I celebrate my birthday.)
6.
Mañana a las cinco ... mediodía vamos a una fiesta.
(Tomorrow at five in the afternoon we are going to a party.)
7.
... la mañana del lunes organizo mi semana.
(On Monday morning I organise my week.)
8.
... la tarde visito a mi abuela.
(In the afternoon I visit my grandmother.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Quedo contigo _____ para ver una película.

(I meet you _____ to watch a movie.)

2. Ayer _____ organicé una cena con amigos.

(Last _____ I organized a dinner with friends.)

3. Me gusta correr _____ para empezar bien el día.

(I like to run _____ to start the day well.)

4. Nos vemos el miércoles _____ para estudiar juntos.

(We see each other Wednesday _____ to study together.)

5. Trabajo _____ cuando tengo proyectos importantes.

(I work _____ when I have important projects.)

6. _____ siempre como con mis compañeros de trabajo.

(_____ I always eat with my coworkers.)

Prepositions for Indicating Times of the Day in Spanish

This lesson introduces fundamental Spanish prepositions used to express different times of the day, an essential skill at the A1 beginner level. Understanding and correctly using these prepositions will help you describe when events occur with naturalness and clarity.

Key Prepositions Covered

  • Por – Used for general periods during the day, such as por la mañana (in the morning), por la tarde (in the afternoon), and por la noche (at night).
  • En – Used to specify particular parts of the day, for example, en la mañana and en la noche.
  • A / Al – Used to indicate precise moments like al amanecer (at dawn) or a la medianoche (at midnight), where al is a contraction of a + el.
  • De / Del – Used to point to parts of the day or time periods, such as de noche (at night), de día (during the day), or del mediodía (of noon).

Why These Differences Matter

In English, we typically use "in the morning/afternoon/evening" or "at night," but Spanish requires specific prepositions that depend on the context or nuance. For example, por la mañana means "during the morning period," while en la mañana can emphasize a particular part. The preposition a used with time expressions (like al atardecer) does not have a direct equivalent in English but often translates as "at sunset."

Examples to Remember

  • Por la mañana: I like to run in the morning – Me gusta correr por la mañana.
  • En la noche: We work at night – Trabajamos en la noche.
  • Al mediodía: We eat at noon – Al mediodía siempre como con mis compañeros.
  • De noche: She studies at night – Estudia de noche.

Mastering these prepositions will improve your ability to talk about daily routines, plans, and specific moments with clear and natural Spanish expressions.

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