Prepositions of place tell us where something or someone is located. They answer the question “Where?” Using them correctly is essential for clear communication. Below, we cover the most common prepositions of place—at, in, on, under, over, above, below, between, among, beside, near, next to, in front of, behind, opposite—with clear rules and 50 practical examples.
- 1. AT – Specific Point or Location
- 2. IN – Enclosed Space or Larger Area
- 3. ON – Surface or Position
- 4. UNDER – Below or Covered
- 5. OVER / ABOVE – Higher Than
- 6. BELOW / UNDERNEATH – Lower Than
- 7. BETWEEN – In the Middle (Two Things)
- 8. AMONG – In a Group (More Than Two)
- 9. BESIDE / NEXT TO – By the Side Of
- 10. IN FRONT OF / BEHIND / OPPOSITE
- Quick Reference Table
- Practice Tip
1. AT – Specific Point or Location
Rule: Use at for:
-
A specific point or place (at the bus stop, at the door)
-
Events (at the party, at the concert)
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Buildings when we mean the general location (at the cinema, at school)
-
Addresses (at 123 Main Street)
| # | English Example | Hindi Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | I’ll meet you at the bus stop. | मैं तुमसे बस स्टॉप पर मिलूंगा। |
| 2 | She is at the door. | वह दरवाजे पर है। |
| 3 | We met at the party. | हम पार्टी में मिले। |
| 4 | He studies at school. | वह स्कूल में पढ़ता है। |
| 5 | They live at 45 Park Avenue. | वे पार्क एवेन्यू, 45 पर रहते हैं। |
2. IN – Enclosed Space or Larger Area
Rule: Use in for:
-
Enclosed spaces (in a room, in a box)
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Cities, countries, continents (in Delhi, in India)
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Buildings when we mean inside (in the cinema hall)
-
Water bodies (in the river, in the ocean)
-
Lines/rows (in a line, in a queue)
| # | English Example | Hindi Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | The book is in the bag. | किताब बैग में है। |
| 7 | She lives in Mumbai. | वह मुंबई में रहती है। |
| 8 | They are swimming in the pool. | वे पूल में तैर रहे हैं। |
| 9 | We sat in the first row. | हम पहली पंक्ति में बैठे। |
| 10 | He works in a hospital. | वह एक अस्पताल में काम करता है। |
3. ON – Surface or Position
Rule: Use on for:
-
Surfaces (on the table, on the wall)
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Floors of a building (on the second floor)
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Public transport (on the bus, on the train)
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Left/right (on the left, on the right)
-
Streets/roads (on Oxford Street)
| # | English Example | Hindi Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | The cup is on the table. | कप मेज पर है। |
| 12 | There’s a painting on the wall. | दीवार पर एक पेंटिंग है। |
| 13 | My office is on the 5th floor. | मेरा ऑफिस 5वीं मंजिल पर है। |
| 14 | He is on the bus now. | वह अब बस में है। |
| 15 | The shop is on the left. | दुकान बाईं ओर है। |
4. UNDER – Below or Covered
Rule: Use under for:
-
Directly below something
-
Covered by something
-
Less than (age/amount) – but that’s not place
| # | English Example | Hindi Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | The cat is under the table. | बिल्ली मेज के नीचे है। |
| 17 | He hid under the bed. | वह बिस्तर के नीचे छिप गया। |
| 18 | The shoes are under the chair. | जूते कुर्सी के नीचे हैं। |
| 19 | The submarine sailed under water. | पनडुब्बी पानी के नीचे चली गई। |
| 20 | We sat under a tree. | हम एक पेड़ के नीचे बैठे। |
5. OVER / ABOVE – Higher Than
Rule: Use over for:
-
Directly above, often covering or crossing
-
Above and beyond
Use above for:
-
Higher than, but not necessarily directly above
| # | English Example | Hindi Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | There’s a bridge over the river. | नदी के ऊपर एक पुल है। |
| 22 | The plane flew over the city. | हवाई जहाज शहर के ऊपर से उड़ा। |
| 23 | Hang the picture above the sofa. | तस्वीर सोफे के ऊपर लटकाओ। |
| 24 | The sun rose above the mountains. | सूरज पहाड़ों के ऊपर उगा। |
| 25 | She put a blanket over the child. | उसने बच्चे के ऊपर कंबल डाल दिया। |
6. BELOW / UNDERNEATH – Lower Than
Rule: Use below for:
-
Lower than a level or point
Use underneath for:
-
Directly under, often with contact
| # | English Example | Hindi Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | The temperature is below zero. | तापमान शून्य से नीचे है। |
| 27 | They live below us on the first floor. | वे हमसे नीचे पहली मंजिल पर रहते हैं। |
| 28 | There’s a basement underneath the house. | घर के नीचे एक तहखाना है। |
| 29 | He wore a vest underneath his shirt. | उसने शर्ट के नीचे बनियान पहनी थी। |
| 30 | The treasure is buried underneath the tree. | खजाना पेड़ के नीचे दबा है। |
7. BETWEEN – In the Middle (Two Things)
Rule: Use between for two distinct items.
| # | English Example | Hindi Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | The bank is between the post office and the library. | बैंक डाकघर और लाइब्रेरी के बीच है। |
| 32 | She sat between her parents. | वह अपने माता-पिता के बीच बैठी। |
| 33 | There’s a fence between the two houses. | दोनों घरों के बीच एक बाड़ है। |
| 34 | The number 5 is between 4 and 6. | संख्या 5, 4 और 6 के बीच है। |
| 35 | He divided the money between his two sons. | उसने पैसे अपने दो बेटों के बीच बांट दिए। |
8. AMONG – In a Group (More Than Two)
Rule: Use among for three or more items or a group.
| # | English Example | Hindi Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | She was among the crowd. | वह भीड़ में थी। |
| 37 | I found my keys among the papers. | मुझे मेरी चाबियाँ कागजों के बीच मिलीं। |
| 38 | He is popular among his colleagues. | वह अपने सहकर्मियों के बीच लोकप्रिय है। |
| 39 | There’s a spy among us. | हमारे बीच एक जासूस है। |
| 40 | The prize was shared among the three winners. | पुरस्कार तीन विजेताओं के बीच बांटा गया। |
9. BESIDE / NEXT TO – By the Side Of
Rule: Use beside or next to to mean at the side of.
| # | English Example | Hindi Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | The lamp is beside the bed. | लैंप बिस्तर के पास है। |
| 42 | Come and sit next to me. | आओ और मेरे बगल में बैठो। |
| 43 | There’s a park beside the river. | नदी के किनारे एक पार्क है। |
| 44 | The hotel is next to the station. | होटल स्टेशन के बगल में है। |
| 45 | She placed her bag beside her chair. | उसने अपना बैग अपनी कुर्सी के पास रखा। |
10. IN FRONT OF / BEHIND / OPPOSITE
Rule:
-
In front of = facing or ahead
-
Behind = at the back
-
Opposite = across from (usually facing)
| # | English Example | Hindi Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 46 | There’s a garden in front of the house. | घर के सामने एक बगीचा है। |
| 47 | The car is parked behind the building. | कार इमारत के पीछे खड़ी है। |
| 48 | The bank is opposite the supermarket. | बैंक सुपरमार्केट के सामने है। |
| 49 | She stood in front of the mirror. | वह आईने के सामने खड़ी थी। |
| 50 | He hid behind the door. | वह दरवाजे के पीछे छिप गया। |
Quick Reference Table
| Preposition | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| at | specific point | at the bus stop, at the door |
| in | enclosed space, city, country | in the room, in Delhi |
| on | surface, floor, transport | on the table, on the bus |
| under | below, covered | under the bed, under water |
| over | above, crossing | over the river, over the city |
| above | higher than | above the clouds, above zero |
| below | lower than | below the surface, below average |
| underneath | directly under | underneath the carpet |
| between | two items | between A and B |
| among | three or more | among friends |
| beside / next to | at the side | beside the road, next to me |
| in front of | ahead, facing | in front of the building |
| behind | at the back | behind the curtain |
| opposite | across from | opposite the park |
Practice Tip
To master prepositions of place, try describing your room or neighbourhood using different prepositions. For example:
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The bed is in the corner.
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The lamp is on the table beside the bed.
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The wardrobe is opposite the window.
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A picture hangs above the bed.
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My shoes are under the bed.
With regular practice, you’ll use them naturally. Happy learning!
