Prepositions of Place — Practice

1. "The book is on the table": "El libro está _______ la mesa."

Answer: en

Explanation: EN covers English "on" for surfaces: El libro está en la mesa. (Sobre/encima de are also possible, but en is the everyday choice.)

2. Complete: "El gato está _______ de la cama." (under)

Answer: debajo

Explanation: "Under" = DEBAJO DE: El gato está debajo de la cama.

3. "Next to the supermarket": "al lado _______ supermercado"

Answer: del

Explanation: De + el contracts to DEL: al lado del supermercado. Writing "de el" is incorrect.

4. Complete: "La farmacia está _______ el banco y el cine." (between)

Answer: entre

Explanation: "Between" = ENTRE, used without "de": entre el banco y el cine.

5. "Opposite the hospital":

Answer: enfrente del hospital

Explanation: Enfrente needs DE, and de + el = del: enfrente del hospital.

6. Complete: "Vivo _______ de la estación." (near)

Answer: cerca

Explanation: "Near" = CERCA DE: Vivo cerca de la estación. Its opposite is lejos de (far from).

7. Which verb for location? "Las llaves _______ sobre la mesa."

Answer: están

Explanation: Location of a specific thing uses ESTAR: Las llaves están sobre la mesa. Ser is never used for location of objects; hay introduces unknown/new things.

8. "Behind the door":

Answer: detrás de la puerta

Explanation: Detrás always needs DE before the noun: detrás de la puerta. "De la" does not contract.