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Can You End a Sentence with a Preposition in Spanish? The Definitive Answer

Ah, the infamous grammar rule that has haunted English students for decades: "Never end a sentence with a preposition."

You might have heard tales of Winston Churchill sarcastically responding, "This is the sort of thing up with which I will not put," just to mock the rule. In modern English, it’s a rule we often bend or break.

But what about in Spanish? Is this a flexible guideline or a hard-and-fast law?

If you want your Spanish to sound natural and correct, this is one rule you can't ignore. The short and simple answer is:

No, you cannot end a sentence with a preposition in Spanish.

A confused student looking at two thought bubbles, one with an English sentence ending in a preposition (e.g., 'What are you thinking about?') and the other with a Spanish sentence showing the preposition at the beginning (e.g., '¿Sobre qué estás pensando?'). A subtle question mark floats between the two, representing the grammar dilemma. black background.

Let's dive into why this is the case and how you can easily structure your sentences to sound like a native speaker.

The Golden Rule: Prepositions Need a Partner

Three sets of small, anthropomorphic prepositions (e.g., 'con', 'de', 'para') each holding hands with a larger, friendly object (e.g., a noun like 'el libro', a pronoun like 'ella'). They are clearly inseparable buddies, illustrating that prepositions always need their object. black background.

Think of prepositions in Spanish—words like con (with), de (from/of), en (in/on), and para (for)—as inseparable buddies. They always need to be followed immediately by their object (a noun, pronoun, or infinitive verb). They can't be left hanging at the end of a sentence, all alone.

In English, we can say:

"Who are you talking to?"

The preposition "to" is stranded at the end. In Spanish, this is a grammatical no-go. The preposition needs to stick to its partner, the question word "who" (quién).

The Fix: Move It to the Front!

The solution is wonderfully simple. Just take that preposition from the end of the English thought and move it to the very beginning of the Spanish question.

Let's look at how this works in practice.

Questions with Qué (What)

In English, we ask questions like, "What are you thinking about?" or "What is this for?" See those prepositions at the end? Let's fix them for Spanish.

English (Preposition at End)Spanish (Preposition at Front)
What are you thinking about?¿Sobre qué estás pensando?
What is this machine for?¿Para qué es esta máquina?
What are you laughing at?¿De qué te ríes?

The Simple Formula

Remember this easy structure for questions: Preposition + Question Word + Verb + ...? This will keep you on the right track every time!

Questions with Quién (Who)

This is one of the most common situations you'll encounter.

In English: "Who are you going to the party with?" In Spanish, the con (with) has to move up front.

❌ Incorrect: ¿Quién vas a la fiesta con? ✅ Correct: ¿**Con** quién vas a la fiesta?

Here's another example: In English: "Who did you buy the gift for?" ✅ Correct: ¿**Para** quién compraste el regalo?

Questions with Dónde (Where)

This one is so common that you've probably used it without even realizing you were following the rule!

In English: "Where are you from?" ✅ Correct: ¿**De** dónde eres?

You'd never say ¿Dónde eres de?. Your brain has already learned that de dónde is a set phrase. The same logic applies to all other prepositions.


Ready to test your knowledge? Give our quick quiz a try!

How would you correctly ask 'What are you dreaming about?' in Spanish?


What About Statements?

This rule doesn't just apply to questions. It applies to all sentences. You can't leave a preposition hanging at the end of a statement, either.

This is less common, as English sentence structure doesn't lead to this as often, but it's an important principle.

For example, you couldn't say: La casa que vivo en es azul. (The house I live in is blue.) You need to include the preposition in the relative clause.

✅ Correct: La casa **en la que** vivo es azul.

A Common Learner Mistake

A frequent error is trying to translate English phrasal verbs directly. For example, "I have to deal with it." A direct translation might tempt you to say Tengo que tratar con, but you're missing the "it"! You must include the object: Tengo que tratar con **eso**. (I have to deal with that.)

Your Takeaway

While English grammar can be flexible about ending sentences with prepositions, Spanish grammar is firm. Sticking to this one simple rule will instantly make your Spanish sound more polished and correct:

Always place the preposition before the noun or pronoun it's connected to.

A cheerful character successfully speaking Spanish, with thought bubbles showing correctly structured sentences (preposition at the front). The character looks confident and natural, perhaps holding a book titled 'Grammar Made Easy' or similar. A subtle Spanish flag or cultural elements in the background. black background.

It might feel strange at first, but with a little practice, moving that preposition to the front of your questions will become second nature. You're not just learning a grammar rule—you're learning to think in a new, more Spanish way!

Happy learning!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it ever okay to end a Spanish sentence with a preposition?

In standard, grammatically correct Spanish, the answer is no. Prepositions must always be followed by their object (a noun or pronoun). While you might hear it in very specific, informal contexts where a verb is omitted, it's a rule you should stick to as a learner.

What are the most common prepositions in Spanish?

Some of the most frequent prepositions you'll encounter are 'a' (to, at), 'con' (with), 'de' (of, from), 'en' (in, on, at), 'para' (for, in order to), and 'por' (for, by, through).

How do I rephrase an English sentence that ends with a preposition into Spanish?

It's simple! Just find the preposition at the end of the English sentence and move it to the front of your Spanish question, right before the question word (like qué, quién, dónde, etc.).