8 Different Ways To Use To In Spanish (With Examples)
Have you ever wondered about the many ways to say to in Spanish?
It’s not as simple as you might think!
Effortless Answers
In Spanish, we have several words that can translate to to in Spanish:
• a
• para
• hacia
• hasta
• al
• por
Each has its use in different contexts.
Lucky for you, we wrote this blog post so you can understand this word better. And, if you’re struggling with a vs para, Spring Spanish (a project I co-founded) has an excellent explanatory video that could help you out.
Check it out here:
Now, let’s explore the 8 different ways to use to in Spanish.
1. Use To in Spanish for direction (a, hacia)
When talking about direction in Spanish, we often use “a” or “hacia.” These words help us express movement towards a place or destination.
“A” is more common and can show a specific destination. “Hacia” suggests movement in a general direction.
Let’s look at some examples:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Voy a la tienda. | I’m going to the store. |
| Caminamos hacia el parque. | We’re walking towards the park. |
| El avión vuela a Madrid. | The plane is flying to Madrid. |
| Nos dirigimos hacia el norte. | We’re heading towards the north. |
| Ella corre a la escuela. | She runs to school. |
“A” often combines with “el” to form “al.” For example:
- “Voy al banco” (I’m going to the bank).
2. Use To in Spanish for purpose (para)
When we want to express purpose or intention, we use “para.” This word helps us explain why we’re doing something.
It’s similar to saying “in order to” or “for the purpose of” in English.
Here are some examples:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Estudio español para viajar a México. | I study Spanish to travel to Mexico. |
| Compré flores para mi madre. | I bought flowers for my mother. |
| Trabajo duro para ganar dinero. | I work hard to earn money. |
| Ella come verduras para estar saludable. | She eats vegetables to be healthy. |
| Practicamos para mejorar. | We practice to improve. |
3. Use To in Spanish for possession (de)
In Spanish, we use “de” to show possession, which can sometimes translate to “to” in English.
This usage is also common when describing ownership or relationship.
Let’s see it in action:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| El coche de Juan | Juan’s car (The car of Juan) |
| La hermana de mi amigo | My friend’s sister (The sister of my friend) |
| El libro de cocina de mi abuela | My grandmother’s cookbook (The cookbook of my grandmother) |
| Las llaves de la casa | The house keys (The keys of the house) |
| El jefe de la empresa | The company boss (The boss of the company) |
4. Use To in Spanish for time (hasta, a)
When talking about time, we usually use “hasta” or “a” to mean “to” or “until.”
“Hasta” typically means “until,” while “a” is used for specific times.
Check out these examples:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Trabajo hasta las cinco. | I work until five. |
| La tienda abre de 9 a 18. | The store opens from 9 to 6. |
| Esperaré hasta mañana. | I’ll wait until tomorrow. |
| El concierto es de 20:00 a 22:00. | The concert is from 8:00 to 10:00 PM. |
| Estudiaré hasta que entienda todo. | I’ll study until I understand everything. |
5. Use To in Spanish for indirect objects (a)
In Spanish, we use “a” before indirect objects, which often translates to “to” in English.
This usage is common with verbs like “give,” “say,” or “write.”
Here are some examples:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Le di el regalo a mi hermana. | I gave the gift to my sister. |
| Escribí una carta a mis padres. | I wrote a letter to my parents. |
| El profesor explicó la lección a los estudiantes. | The teacher explained the lesson to the students. |
| Envié un mensaje a mi amigo. | I sent a message to my friend. |
| Cantamos una canción a los niños. | We sang a song to the children. |
6. Use To in Spanish with infinitives (no word needed)
In Spanish, we don’t need a word for “to” when using infinitives.
This is different from English, where we typically use “to” before the infinitive form of a verb.
Let’s look at some examples where the verbs are in infinitive:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| hablar | to speak |
| comer | to eat |
| vivir | to live |
| escribir | to write |
| dormir | to sleep |
7. Use To in Spanish for recipient (a)
When indicating a recipient in Spanish, we use “a.”
This is similar to the indirect object usage but can also apply to other contexts.
Here are some examples:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Entregué el paquete a María. | I delivered the package to Maria. |
| La carta está dirigida al presidente. | The letter is addressed to the president. |
| Dedico esta canción a mi esposa. | I dedicate this song to my wife. |
| El premio fue otorgado al mejor estudiante. | The award was given to the best student. |
| Doné dinero a la caridad. | I donated money to charity. |
8. Use To in Spanish for comparison (a)
In Spanish, we also use “a” in certain comparative structures.
This usage often translates to “to” or “by” in English.
Let’s see more examples:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Prefiero el té al café. | I prefer tea to coffee. |
| El azúcar es al café como la sal es a la sopa. | Sugar is to coffee as salt is to soup. |
| De enero a diciembre | From January to December |
| Vamos paso a paso. | We’re going step by step. |
| La velocidad es de 100 kilómetros por hora. | The speed is 100 kilometers per hour. |
Practice saying to in Spanish with flashcards
You can always come back to this blog post and practice Spanish synonyms.
And, if you’re looking for more, just click this button here, and you’ll access our Full Practice Worksheet Library.
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