en
/en/
In Spanish, 'on' is translated as en. Wiktionary also lists sobre.
Meaning: positioned at or resting against the outer surface of, attached to (prep)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| en | /en/ /ˈem/ |
| sobre | /ˈsobɾe/ |
The preposition en is used to indicate that something is positioned at or resting against the outer surface of. Attached to (prep).
Which one should you use?
You may also use sobre to mean 'on' (positioned on top of). However, sobre also carries the meanings of 'over' or 'about' (concerning a topic).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Latin America, you may come across the phrase arriba de to express 'on' in certain contexts.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/en/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly try to use a specific preposition for 'on' and 'in' in Spanish, but en covers both cases for location.
Did you know?
- To say someone is 'on' a diet or 'on' a medication, Spanish often switches from en to a, such as está a dieta.
- The word sobre is actually a 'doublet' of the word 'super', meaning they both share the same ancient roots but evolved through different paths.
- Because en means both 'on' and 'in', Spanish speakers distinguish the two by adding dentro de for 'inside' or encima de for 'on top of'.
Examples in context
- Está en el sofá.It's on the sofa.This sentence shows the use of en to indicate location on a piece of furniture.Tatoeba #793295 by Shishir, translation #43241 by CK
- Está en la mesa.It's on the table.This sentence shows the use of en to indicate location on a surface.Tatoeba #2032455 by Shishir, translation #1871551 by Asma
- Vivo en la luna.I live on the moon.This sentence shows the use of en for a location like the moon.Tatoeba #10031302 by manufrutos, translation #10031143 by shekitten
- El informe está sobre la mesa.The report is on the table.
- Por favor, envíen su solicitud sobre las nuevas regulaciones.Please send your application regarding the new regulations.
- El libro está encima de la estantería.The book is on top of the shelf.
- Coloca el informe encima de mi escritorio.Place the report on my desk.
- El control remoto está en el sofá.The remote control is on the couch.
- Viajamos en avión.We travel by plane.
- Pon el vaso encima de la mesa.Put the glass on top of the table.
- Los zapatos están encima del armario.The shoes are on top of the closet.
- Dejé el libro arriba del escritorio.I left the book on the desk.
- 5281 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and María are in the kitchen looking for a remote control.
- Javier¿Viste el mando?Did you see the remote?
- MaríaNo, no está en la mesa.No, it is not on the table.
- JavierMira, está en la silla.Look, it is on the chair.
- María¡Ah, sí! Gracias, Javier.Ah, yes! Thanks, Javier.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “on” translations and entries en, sobre, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries en, sobre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
