de
/deh/
Just like 's in English, 'de' shows that something belongs to someone. This is 'el libro de Ana' (Ana's book).
de (Preposition)
📝 In Action
El coche de mi padre es azul.
A1My father's car is blue.
Es la casa de María.
A1It's María's house.
Las llaves del apartamento están sobre la mesa.
A2The apartment's keys are on the table.
💡 Grammar Points
No Apostrophe 's' in Spanish
To show something belongs to someone, Spanish always uses 'de'. Think of it as 'The thing of the person'. It never uses an apostrophe 's' like English.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Backwards Order
Mistake: "el padre's coche"
Correction: el coche de mi padre. Remember to always put the thing first, then 'de', then the owner.
⭐ Usage Tips
Possession Chains
You can link 'de' to show complex ownership, like 'la amiga del hermano de Juan' (the friend of Juan's brother).
'De' tells you where someone or something comes from. This person 'es de México' (is from Mexico).
de (Preposition)
📝 In Action
Soy de Argentina.
A1I am from Argentina.
El tren viene de Madrid.
A1The train is coming from Madrid.
Saca la leche del refrigerador.
A2Take the milk from the refrigerator.
💡 Grammar Points
De + El = Del
When 'de' comes before the word 'el' (the), they always squish together to become 'del'. For example, 'vengo del mercado' (I'm coming from the market).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting to Combine 'de' and 'el'
Mistake: "Vengo de el parque."
Correction: Vengo del parque. Remember, 'de' and 'el' almost always merge into 'del'. This doesn't happen with 'la', 'los', or 'las'.
'De' can also tell you what something is made of. This is a 'silla de madera' (a wooden chair, or literally, a chair of wood).
de (Preposition)
📝 In Action
La mesa es de madera.
A2The table is made of wood.
Quiero un vaso de vidrio.
A2I want a glass (made of) glass.
Compró un anillo de oro.
B1He bought a gold ring.
⭐ Usage Tips
Like an Adjective
Think of 'de + material' as a simple way to describe a noun, just like an adjective. Instead of a special word for 'wooden', you just say 'de madera'.
'De' can introduce the topic of something. This is a 'libro de dinosaurios' (a book about dinosaurs).
de (Preposition)
📝 In Action
Es una película de amor.
A2It's a movie about love (a love movie).
Hablamos de política toda la noche.
B1We talked about politics all night.
Es un documental de la naturaleza.
B1It's a documentary about nature.
⭐ Usage Tips
'De' vs. 'Sobre'
Both 'de' and 'sobre' can mean 'about'. 'De' is very common and general. 'Sobre' can feel a bit more formal or specific, like 'on the topic of'.
'De' is used to specify the time of day, like 'de la mañana' (in the morning) or 'de la noche' (at night).
de (Preposition)
📝 In Action
Son las tres de la mañana.
A1It's three in the morning.
Tengo una cita a las diez de la mañana.
A1I have an appointment at ten in the morning.
Salimos a las siete de la tarde.
A2We leave at seven in the evening.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'en' instead of 'de'
Mistake: "Son las dos en la tarde."
Correction: Son las dos de la tarde. When you're stating the specific hour, use 'de' to connect it to the part of the day.
⭐ Usage Tips
General vs. Specific Time
Use 'por la mañana' to talk generally ('I study in the morning'), but 'de la mañana' when giving a specific time ('8 de la mañana').
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: de
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence correctly says 'the dog's toy' in Spanish?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'de' and 'del'?
'Del' is simply the combination of 'de' and 'el'. Whenever you would say 'de el', you must squish them together to make 'del'. For example, 'el hijo de el rey' becomes 'el hijo del rey' (the son of the king).
When do I use 'de' vs 'desde' for 'from'?
It's a tricky one! Use 'de' for simple origin ('Soy de Canadá'). Use 'desde' to emphasize the starting point of a journey or a period of time ('Camino desde mi casa' - I'm walking from my house; 'Trabajo desde las 9' - I work from 9 o'clock).
How can one little word have so many meanings?
Think of 'de' as a connector word. Its main job is to link two ideas. The specific relationship (possession, origin, material) depends on the words it's connecting. English does this too with words like 'of' or 'from'. You'll get a feel for it with practice!