Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| delante de | /delante de/ (from spelling rules) |
| enfrente de | /enˈfɾente de/ |
| en frente de | /en ˈfɾente de/ |
| al frente de | /al fɾente de/ (from spelling rules) |
| adelante de | /adelante de/ (from spelling rules) |
These phrases are used to describe being at or near the front part of something. For example, al frente de is frequently used in a figurative sense to mean "at the head of" or "in charge of" a group or organization and it is also used to refer to the main façade or entrance of a place.
Which one should you use?
While delante de and enfrente de are often used interchangeably, delante de specifically emphasizes being in a position ahead of something in a sequence or line. In contrast, enfrente de can also imply being "opposite" or "facing" something. The word enfrente can also function as an adverb meaning "opposite" or "across from" without needing a following preposition if the context is clear.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Enfrente de is the most common option in many regions of Spain.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase delante de is a prepositional phrase, but if you are not specifying an object, you use the adverb delante without the de.
How do you pronounce it?
/delante de/
What mistakes should you avoid?
When using a pronoun as a prepositional object, such as in "in front of me," ensure you use the stressed form mí instead of the unstressed mi.
Did you know?
- The word frente in Spanish is not just a way to say 'front', it is also the standard anatomical word for your 'forehead'.
- While delante de means 'in front of', the phrase dar la cara literally means 'to give the face' and is used when someone bravely confronts a situation head-on.
- The Spanish word enfrente is built from the prefix en and the noun frente, which stems from the Latin 'frons', meaning 'forehead' or 'brow'.
Examples in context
- Ella está delante de mi.She's in front of me.This example shows the use of delante de to describe someone's position relative to another person.Tatoeba #6626923 by Schuager, translation #6626922 by Schuager
- Él se sentó delante de mí.He sat in front of me.This sentence demonstrates delante de used to describe a seated position.Tatoeba #2721751 by teskmon, translation #297930 by CK
- Está en frente de la casa.He is in front of the house.This sentence uses en frente de to describe a location relative to a house.Tatoeba #13828140 by ecorralest101, translation #12675343 by anzart
- Voy a esperarte delante del restaurante.I'm going to wait for you in front of the restaurant.
- La estación de tren está frente a la biblioteca.The train station is in front of the library.
- Tenemos una hermosa vista frente al mar.We have a beautiful view facing the sea.
- La tienda está al frente del parque.The store is in front of the park.
- 135 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Javier are looking for their car in a parking lot.
- María¿Ves el coche rojo delante de la tienda?Do you see the red car in front of the store?
- JavierNo, pero veo uno azul delante de la entrada.No, but I see a blue one in front of the entrance.
- María¡Ah! Es ese, está delante de la columna.Ah! It is that one, it is in front of the column.
- JavierTienes razón, ya lo veo.You are right, I see it now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “in front of” translations and entries delante de, enfrente de, en frente de, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries adelante, de, en, enfrente, frente, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
