Prepositions connect one word with another and indicate the relationship between them. In a sentence expressing movement, they can indicate destination, origin, route, limit or purpose. Without a preposition, the verb only shows the action, but does not clarify where someone is going, where they are leaving from or for what purpose something is done. In I leave house, the correct relationship is missing; in I leave the house, from marks the point of origin. In I am going Madrid, the destination is missing; in I am going to Madrid, to introduces it clearly. They also appear in more abstract ideas, such as to work to live or to call from the hotel, where the preposition organizes the information and gives meaning to the phrase.

Use for arrival and destination

Usage	Explanation
Destination of a movement	Use a when you want to indicate the point toward which a person or thing is headed.
Goal of an action	Use a to indicate where an action or movement is directed.

To indicates the point of arrival of a movement. It goes with movement verbs such as to go, to come, to arrive, to go up or to enter when the speaker wants to name the destination. It is placed before the place or person receiving the action: I am going to Madrid, He/She returns home, We arrive at the station. With people, to also introduces the destination in a directional sense: I am going to see Ana. When the movement ends in a specific place, to presents that end of the route. For this reason, it appears with physical journeys and also with figurative movements, such as to move on to another idea or to arrive at a conclusion.

Approximate direction and orientation

Usage	Explanation
General orientation	Use hacia when you only want to indicate the approximate direction, without ensuring arrival.
Approximate time	Use hacia to talk about an approximate time of day or time of year.

Toward indicates general orientation. It signals the direction in which something or someone is moving, but does not confirm that it reaches the named point. In We walk toward the river, the path points to the river, although the exact destination is not settled. For this reason, toward expresses a broader reference than to. It is also used with approximate time: He/She will arrive around six places the moment around that hour, not exactly at it. In a spatial context, it can combine with movement verbs and with expressions such as toward the north, toward the exit or toward the center, always with the idea of heading, not of certain arrival.

Final limit of a route or quantity

Usage	Explanation
Limit of movement	Use hasta to mark the final point reached by a movement.
Quantity limit	Use hasta to indicate the maximum of a quantity or an interval.

Until marks the final point reached by a movement, quantity or action. With places, it indicates the limit of the route: We walk as far as the bridge, He/She arrived at the door. With time, it establishes the end of a duration: He/She works until eight. It can also indicate a maximum quantity: He/She bought up to five tickets. Unlike to, which presents the destination, until focuses attention on the final edge of the journey or process. For this reason, it often appears with verbs that describe progress, permanence or accumulation, because the preposition delimits how far that action extends.

Origin of a journey or situation

Usage	Explanation
Point of origin	Use desde to indicate the place from which a movement or journey begins.
Starting point in time	Use desde to indicate the moment when something begins.

From introduces the point of origin of a movement, a temporal distance or an initial reference. In a journey, it marks the place of departure: We leave from the station. With time, it indicates the beginning of an action or state: I have lived here since January. It can also accompany a spatial or observational reference: I saw him/her from the window, It takes two hours by train from Madrid. The central idea is the beginning. The action is situated starting from that point and continues after it. When one wants to name the origin of a route or situation, from places that starting point precisely.

Origin and intended destination

Idea
Use de to express the origin or source of a movement.
Use para to express the intended destination or goal of a movement.
Also use para to express the purpose of a movement.

From presents the origin or point of departure, while for presents the intended destination, objective or deadline. In We leave Seville for Córdoba, from indicates where the journey departs and for indicates where it is headed. In This train is for Valencia, for marks the expected destination. With intention or purpose, for connects the action with its purpose: I work to pay the rent. It also marks a time limit: I need the report by tomorrow. From looks toward the origin; for looks toward the intended end. Both prepositions can appear in the same journey because each fulfills a different function.

Means of transportation and obligatory contraction

Idea
Use en with many means of transportation to indicate the way of traveling.
The contraction al appears when a joins with el.
There is no contraction when a goes with la.

In is used with means of transportation when the person goes inside the vehicle: I go by car, We travel by train, He/She travels by subway. It does not change according to the gender or number of the noun it introduces. The preposition maintains the same form before masculine and feminine nouns: to Madrid, to the beach, from Rome, from the office. When to joins with the singular masculine article the, it forms the contraction to the: I am going to the airport, He/She entered the museum. There is no contraction with the before feminine nouns, so one says I am going to the station, not to the station. This form is used only with the; with other articles, the preposition retains its complete form.