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-   -   Uses of "at" (http://forums.tomisimo.org/showthread.php?t=16900)

AMG September 21, 2013 01:50 PM

Uses of "at"
 
Pleaseeee, I haven't understood the uses of at. Please, could you help me? Give me a lot of examples.
Thanks a lot.

Rusty September 21, 2013 02:33 PM

Time:
At twelve fifteen (12:15) = a las doce y cuarto
At noon = al mediodía
At three thirty (3:30) = a las tres y media
At the appointed hour = a la hora designada

Presence:
At the party = en la fiesta
At the school = en la escuela
At the office = en la oficina

Location:
at home = en (la) casa
at school = en la escuela
at lunch = en el almuerzo

Near/in:
at my feet = cerca de/junto a mis pies

Condition:
at night = en la noche
at rest = en reposo

Skill:
good at chess = habilidad para jugar al ajedrez
a novice at = un novato en

Toward:
flew at us = voló hacia nosotros

Age:
at 18 = a los dieciocho (años)

Verbal phrases:
laugh at = reírse de
aim at = apuntar a
arrive at = llegar a

Expressions:
not at all = en lo más mínimo, en absoluto, para nada; nunca jamás
at about = alrededor de, como a las (hora), a eso de las (hora)

AMG September 22, 2013 12:24 PM

Wow! Thanks a lot. For example, if I want to say: "Estoy en mi casa, pero luego voy hacia donde ustedes están." La verdad aún me quedan muchas dudas :(

Rusty September 22, 2013 12:38 PM

I'm at my house, but later/soon I'm going to where you are.
I'm at my house, but later/soon I'm going to where you are at.

AMG September 22, 2013 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rusty (Post 143381)
I'm at my house, but later/soon I'm going to where you are.
I'm at my house, but later/soon I'm going to where you are at.

Ok, thanksss :D

AMG October 01, 2013 04:32 PM

Hello, confused again.
If I want to say:
En la Universidad me dijeron...
Estoy en la Universidad
Estoy en Lisboa
¿vas a venir a la Universidad?

Thank you all.

Perikles October 02, 2013 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMG (Post 143670)
Hello, confused again.
If I want to say:
En la Universidad me dijeron...
Estoy en la Universidad
Estoy en Lisboa
¿vas a venir a la Universidad?

Thank you all.

At university they told me...
I am at university
I am in Lisbon
Are you going to come to university (to study)?
Are you going to come to the university (to see me)?

(I am at university = I am studying there)
(I am at the university = I am there doing something else there)

poli October 02, 2013 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rusty (Post 143381)
I'm at my house, but later/soon I'm going to where you are.
I'm at my house, but later/soon I'm going to where you are at.

I would leave that last at out.
In many cases in an at have similar meanings that are sometimes interchangeable.(in the university/ at the university) In the building implies inside the building and at the building implies just outside the building.)

AMG October 02, 2013 07:42 AM

Thanks guys.
poli, I want to know if "In the building implies inside the building and at the building implies just outside the building" applies to all cases. Would it be the great difference between "at" and "in"? Because I really want to know it.

Thanks again.

poli October 02, 2013 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMG (Post 143711)
Thanks guys.
poli, I want to know if "In the building implies inside the building and at the building implies just outside the building" applies to all cases. Would it be the great difference between "at" and "in"? Because I really want to know it.

Thanks again.

Yes, but there are times when the meanings blend. Examples:
Where are you? I'm in the gym/I'm at the gym.
A lot of times people use the words interchangeably, so it's good to be aware that this use is common. As someone new to the language I think it's safe to use in as a dentro de and at as enfrente de in this example.


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