Inklingo
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delante

/deh-LAHN-teh/

in front

A small, friendly rabbit stands a few steps ahead of a slow turtle on a simple dirt path, illustrating the concept of being 'ahead' or 'in front'.

As a standalone adverb, delante means 'in front' or 'ahead,' describing a position relative to a path or direction.

delante(Adverb)

A1

in front

?

Describing a position

Also:

ahead

?

In a line or path

,

at the front

?

The very first position

📝 In Action

Mi casa es la que tiene un árbol grande delante.

A2

My house is the one with a big tree in front.

Caminaba unos pasos delante para guiar el camino.

B1

He was walking a few steps ahead to lead the way.

Pasa tú delante, por favor.

A1

You go ahead, please.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • enfrente (in front, opposite)
  • adelante (ahead, forward (implies motion))

Antonyms

  • detrás (behind)
  • atrás (behind, at the back)

Common Collocations

  • ir delante – to go ahead, to lead
  • estar delante – to be in front

💡 Grammar Points

A Standalone Location Word

'Delante' by itself tells you where something is, without needing to connect it to another object. It often appears at the end of a sentence.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Mixing up 'delante' and 'adelante'

Mistake: "'Delante' is about a fixed position (in front). 'Adelante' is about movement (forward)."

Correction: Think of 'delante' for 'where?' (¿Dónde está el coche? Está delante.) and 'adelante' for 'where to?' (¡Sigue adelante! - Keep going forward!).

⭐ Usage Tips

Use it to point things out

You can use 'delante' on its own to answer a 'where?' question. '¿Dónde pongo la silla?' 'Ahí delante, por favor.' ('Where do I put the chair?' 'Right there in front, please.')

A bright red ball is placed directly in front of a large, solid blue rectangular box, illustrating the prepositional phrase 'in front of'.

The common phrase delante de means 'in front of,' used to specify the physical location relative to another object.

delante(Adverb (in the phrase 'delante de'))

A1

in front of

?

Physical location

Also:

in the presence of

?

Used when talking about being in front of people

📝 In Action

Estoy esperando delante de la estación.

A1

I am waiting in front of the station.

El coche está aparcado delante de mi casa.

A1

The car is parked in front of my house.

No me gusta hablar delante de mucha gente.

B1

I don't like to speak in front of a lot of people.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • enfrente de (in front of, opposite)
  • ante (before, in the presence of (more formal))

Antonyms

  • detrás de (behind)

Idioms & Expressions

  • por delante de – ahead of someone (in a race, in progress)

💡 Grammar Points

The Magic Connector: 'de'

To say 'in front of SOMETHING', you must use 'delante de'. The word 'de' acts like a bridge connecting 'delante' to the object or person.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Forgetting the 'de'

Mistake: "El gato está delante la silla."

Correction: Say: 'El gato está delante de la silla.' You almost always need 'de' when you mention what something is in front of.

⭐ Usage Tips

Objects or People

This phrase works perfectly for both physical objects ('delante de la casa') and people ('delante de mis amigos'). When it's about people, it means 'in their presence'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: delante

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly says 'The teacher is in front of the students'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

delantero(forward, striker (in sports)) - noun/adjective
adelantar(to overtake, to move forward) - verb
adelante(forward, ahead) - adverb

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'delante de' and 'enfrente de'?

They are very similar and often interchangeable! But there's a small difference. 'Delante de' simply means something is in a position ahead of you. 'Enfrente de' often implies 'facing' or 'opposite'. The building across the street is 'enfrente de' your house. The person in line ahead of you is 'delante de' ti.

And how is 'adelante' different from 'delante'?

It's all about movement vs. position. 'Delante' tells you WHERE something is (a static position). 'Adelante' tells you WHERE something is GOING (forward motion). For example: 'El coche está delante' (The car is in front). 'El coche va hacia adelante' (The car is going forward). Also, '¡Adelante!' is a common way to say 'Come in!' or 'Go ahead!'