Uses of "at"

[AMG]

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

[Rusty]

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]

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]

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]

Originally Posted by Rusty

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

[AMG]

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]

Originally Posted by AMG

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]

Originally Posted by Rusty

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]

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]

Originally Posted by AMG

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.

[AMG]

Originally Posted by poli

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.

Ok, and in the case of "at home"? isn't it inside?
So, could "at" mean beside or in front of?

[wrholt]

Originally Posted by poli

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.

Originally Posted by AMG

Ok, and in the case of "at home"? isn't it inside?
So, could "at" mean beside or in front of?

I don't quite agree with poli's explanation, although it is reasonably accurate.

"In" is usually more specific and more limited than "at". "In" strongly suggests being contained inside something, while "at" suggests being near (and allows but does not require the possibility of being inside) some place.

If I am "in the store", I am inside the building.

If I am "at the store", I could be inside the building, or in the parking lot, or standing just outside the door or on any other part of the land that belongs to the business, or driving past it in my car.

"At home" is similar: if I say I am at home, I may or may not be inside my house. When I was a teenager my family lived in the country on a 200-acre property that had 2 houses and several outbuildings. If we were "at home" we could be anywhere on the property; if we were "in the house/barn/shed" we were inside a specific building.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by wrholt

"At home" is similar: if I say I am at home, I may or may not be inside my house. When I was a teenager my family lived in the country on a 200-acre property that had 2 houses and several outbuildings. If we were "at home" we could be anywhere on the property; if we were "in the house/barn/shed" we were inside a specific building.

It's even more subtle than that. There is the meaning of "at home" which means that you are willing to accept guests. If you are not "at home" you might actually be on the property but not prepared to see anybody. At least in the UK.

[AMG]

Originally Posted by Perikles

It's even more subtle than that. There is the meaning of "at home" which means that you are willing to accept guests. If you are not "at home" you might actually be on the property but not prepared to see anybody. At least in the UK.

Oh, I thought it was gonna be simpler than this :S :l Thanks a lot

[Premium]

Originally Posted by Perikles

There is the meaning of "at home" which means that you are willing to accept guests. If you are not "at home" you might actually be on the property but not prepared to see anybody. At least in the UK.

A nice way of saying; please do not come!