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This lesson covers Spanish prepositions of place with the verb "ir," including useful expressions like "voy en autobús" (I go by bus), "vas a Madrid" (you go to Madrid), and "van hacia el parque" (they go towards the park). Learn to express location, direction, and movement effectively.
  1. The conjugations of "ir" in present are: "voy", "vas", "va", "vamos", "vais", "van".
Preposición (Preposition)Reglas (Rules)Ejemplo (Example)
Ir + enMedio de transporte (Means of transport)Yo voy en autobús (I go by bus)
Ir + aDestino específico (Specific destination)Tú vas a Madrid (You are going to Madrid)
Ir + haciaDirección general (Head office)Ella va hacia el norte (She goes towards the north)
SobreMovimiento por encima (Movement above)El avión vuela sobre la ciudad (The airplane flies over the city.)
PorLugar de paso (Through place)Nosotros pasamos por el parque (We passed through the park)
HaciaDirección general (Head office)Vosotros camináis hacia el parque (You walk towards the park)
Desde Punto de origen (Point of origin)Ellos vienen desde la oficina (They are coming from the office)

Exceptions!

  1. Con los medios de transporte usamos la preposición "en", pero decimos "ir a pie".

Exercise 1: Preposiciones de lugar: "Ir + en, ir + a, por, hacia, etc..."

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

por, desde, en, hacia, a, sobre

1.
Caminamos ... el parque.
(We walk through the park.)
2.
Vamos ... coche a la playa.
(We are going by car to the beach.)
3.
Voy ... Madrid mañana.
(I am going to Madrid tomorrow.)
4.
Vengo ... la tienda.
(I am coming from the shop.)
5.
Conducimos ... el norte en coche.
(We drive north by car.)
6.
Voy ... autobús al trabajo.
(I go to work by bus.)
7.
El avión vuela ... las montañas.
(The plane flies over the mountains.)
8.
Paseamos ... la ciudad a pie.
(We walk through the city on foot.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Yo ___ en autobús al trabajo cada día.

(I ___ by bus to work every day.)

2. Tú ___ a pie desde casa hasta la oficina.

(You ___ on foot from home to the office.)

3. Ellos ___ hacia el parque para pasear.

(They ___ towards the park to take a walk.)

4. Nosotros ___ en tren por toda España.

(We ___ by train all over Spain.)

5. Ella ___ el taxi para ir a la estación.

(She ___ the taxi to go to the station.)

6. Vosotros ___ por el centro comercial andando.

(You ___ through the shopping mall on foot.)

Prepositions of Place: "Ir + en, ir + a, por, hacia, etc..."

This lesson focuses on how to use various Spanish prepositions with the verb ir (to go) to express location, direction, and movement. Understanding these combinations is essential for describing where you are going, how you travel, and the route you take.

Key Prepositions with Ir

  • Ir + en: Indicates the mode of transportation. Example: "Yo voy en autobús" (I go by bus).
  • Ir + a: Shows a specific destination. Example: "Tú vas a Madrid" (You go to Madrid).
  • Ir + hacia: Expresses a general direction. Example: "Ella va hacia el norte" (She goes towards the north).
  • Sobre: Describes movement over something. Example: "El avión vuela sobre la ciudad" (The plane flies over the city).
  • Por: Indicates passing through or by a place. Example: "Nosotros pasamos por el parque" (We go through the park).
  • Desde: Marks the point of origin. Example: "Ellos vienen desde la oficina" (They come from the office).

Understanding Ir and Prepositions in Context

The verb ir is commonly conjugated in the present tense as: voy, vas, va, vamos, vais, van. When combined with prepositions, it forms phrases that describe how, where, and in what direction someone is going.

For modes of transportation, use en, such as en autobús (by bus), but note the exception for walking: ir a pie (to go on foot).

Useful Phrases and Vocabulary

  • Medio de transporte (Means of transport): autobús, tren, taxi
  • Destinos (Destinations): la oficina, el parque, Madrid
  • Direcciones generales (General directions): hacia el norte, hacia el parque
  • Lugares de paso (Places passed through): por el parque, por el centro comercial

Differences Between English and Spanish Usage

Unlike English, where "go by bus" or "go to Madrid" are straightforward, Spanish requires specific prepositions combined with ir to convey the same meaning. For example, "going by bus" uses ir en autobús, not just ir autobús. Also, the distinction between ir a (to a specific place) and ir hacia (in the direction of) is important to grasp subtle differences in meaning.

Example phrases:

  • "I go by train" – "Yo voy en tren"
  • "She goes to the park" – "Ella va a el parque"
  • "They walk towards the park" – "Ellos van hacia el parque"

This lesson equips you with essential prepositional structures to talk about movement and direction naturally in Spanish.

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