Inklingo

How to Say "ahead" in Spanish

English → Spanish

adelante

/a-deh-LAN-teh//a.ðeˈlan.t̪e/

AdverbA2General
Use 'adelante' when indicating forward movement or a direction to proceed, like 'go ahead' or 'further on'.
A solitary traveler walking purposefully down a straight, clear dirt road toward the distant horizon.

Examples

Para llegar a la plaza, tienes que seguir todo recto hacia adelante.

To get to the square, you have to keep going straight ahead.

El ejército continuó su marcha adelante, sin detenerse.

The army continued its march onward, without stopping.

Mira hacia adelante, no hacia atrás.

Look forward, not backward.

Describing Movement

'Adelante' tells you the direction of movement. It answers the question 'where to?' (¿A dónde?). For example, 'Caminar adelante' (to walk forward).

'Adelante' vs. 'Delante'

Mistake: “Estoy adelante de la casa.”

Correction: Estoy delante de la casa. (I am in front of the house.) Use 'delante' to say something is located *in front of* something else. Use 'adelante' for movement *forward*.

delante

/deh-LAHN-teh//deˈlante/

AdverbA1General
Use 'delante' to describe something that is located in front of something else, often in a physical line or space.
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'.

Examples

Mi casa es la que tiene un árbol grande delante.

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

Caminaba unos pasos delante para guiar el camino.

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

Pasa tú delante, por favor.

You go ahead, please.

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.

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!).

Confusing 'adelante' and 'delante'

Learners often confuse 'adelante' and 'delante'. Remember that 'adelante' implies movement or progress forward, while 'delante' refers to a static position in front of something else.

Related Translations

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