Inklingo

How to Say "in front" in Spanish

English → Spanish

delante

/deh-LAHN-teh//deˈlante/

adverbA1general
Use 'delante' when describing a general position that is located in front of something, without necessarily implying a direct facing relationship.
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!).

enfrente

/en-FREN-teh//enˈfɾente/

adverbA1general
Use 'enfrente' when the location is directly across from or facing something else, like on the opposite side of a street or room.
Two brightly colored red chairs are placed directly opposite each other on a green lawn, separated by a narrow paved path, illustrating the concept of being opposite or across the way.

Examples

El cine está justo enfrente.

The movie theater is right opposite/across the way.

Hay una farmacia enfrente de mi oficina.

There is a pharmacy across from my office.

Pusieron la mesa enfrente del sofá.

They put the table opposite the sofa.

Using 'enfrente' with 'de'

To specify what is opposite, always use 'enfrente de' followed by the person or thing (e.g., 'enfrente de la escuela').

Using 'enfrente' alone

You can use 'enfrente' by itself when the location is clear from context, meaning 'across the way' or 'opposite here' (e.g., 'El café está enfrente').

Confusing 'Enfrente' and 'Delante'

Mistake: “Using 'enfrente de' when you mean 'in front of' but not necessarily facing (e.g., 'el coche está enfrente de la casa' when the car is parked right against the front door).”

Correction: Use 'delante de' for 'in front of' (positional) and 'enfrente de' only when two things are facing each other or directly across from each other.

Delante vs. Enfrente

The most common mistake is using 'delante' when you mean 'enfrente' and vice-versa. Remember, 'enfrente' strongly suggests being directly across from or facing something, while 'delante' is a more general 'in front of'.

Related Translations

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