Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say "In Front Of" in Spanish
Enfrente de · prepositional phrase · en-FREN-teh deh
The phrase 'in front of' translates to enfrente de, delante de, or frente a in Spanish. Enfrente de indicates something located directly across or facing the speaker. Delante de emphasizes a position ahead in a line or sequence. Frente a suggests being opposite or confronting something. Choosing the right phrase depends on spatial context and regional preference.
en-FREN-teh deh / deh-LAHN-teh deh / FREN-teh ah
El parque está enfrente de la escuela.
The park is in front of the school.
in front of in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for in front of, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| enfrente de | in front of | en-FREN-teh deh | Default, widely understood |
| delante de | in front of | positional, emphasizes being ahead | |
| frente a | in front of | facing or opposite something |
How Native Speakers Use Enfrente de
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Giving directions
La farmacia está enfrente del banco.
The pharmacy is in front of the bank.
Enfrente de is the go-to choice when describing a location directly across from another landmark.
Describing position in a line
María se sentó delante de mí en el cine.
María sat in front of me at the movies.
Delante de works well for sequential positioning, where one person or object is ahead of another.
Confronting a situation
Frente a tantos problemas, decidimos actuar.
Faced with so many problems, we decided to act.
Frente a can extend beyond physical space into figurative territory, meaning 'in the face of' or 'confronted by.'
Describing a building's orientation
Nuestra casa queda frente a la plaza principal.
Our house faces the main square.
Frente a is particularly common when describing what a building or structure looks out upon.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Enfrente de
Confusing enfrente de with delante de
Incorrect: Ella camina enfrente de mí en la fila.
Correct: Ella camina delante de mí en la fila.
In a queue or line, delante de is the appropriate choice because it describes sequential order, not an object located across from you.
Dropping the preposition de
Incorrect: El carro está enfrente la tienda.
Correct: El carro está enfrente de la tienda.
Enfrente de always requires the preposition de before the noun it governs; omitting it is a grammatical error.
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Common Questions About in front of in Spanish
- What is the difference between enfrente de and delante de?
- Enfrente de typically means 'across from' or 'facing,' implying two things that look at each other. Delante de means 'ahead of' or 'before,' suggesting one thing is positioned forward of another in the same direction.
- Can frente a be used the same way as enfrente de?
- They overlap when describing physical position, but frente a is more versatile because it also works in figurative expressions like frente a la adversidad (in the face of adversity). Enfrente de is limited to spatial descriptions.
- Is there a regional preference among these three phrases?
- All three are understood across the Spanish-speaking world. However, enfrente de tends to be slightly more common in Latin America for everyday directions, while frente a appears frequently in formal writing everywhere.