Pre·po·si·tions

Definition of Prepositions: a word placed typically before a noun, pronoun, or substantive and indicating the relation of that noun, pronoun, or substantive to a verb, an adjective, or another noun, pronoun, or substantive; as English at, by, with, from, in regard to, etc.

Some prepositions describe going away from or a stationary state and generally are followed by the ablative case. Other prepositions describe coming toward or engagement. These are generally followed by the accusative case. While it is helpful to know these general characteristics of Latin prepositions, learning the meaning of a preposition and the case(s) it expects are crucial to reading Latin easily and effectively.

Preposition Case Core Meaning
ā/ab ablative away from
cōram ablative in the presence of, before
cum ablative with
ablative about; down from
ē/ex ablative out of
prō ablative before, on behalf of
sine ablative without
ad accusative to, towards
adversus accusative opposite, against
ante accusative before
apud accusative among; at the house of
contrā accusative against
inter accusative among
intrā accusative within
per accusative through
post accusative behind, after
praeter accusative past, beyond, except
prope accusative near
propter accusative on account of
suprā/super accusative over, above
trāns accusative across
versus accusative toward, in the direction of
in accusative into (in motion)
ablative in (at rest)
sub accusative under, close to (in motion)
ablative under (at rest)

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