Spanish: An Essential Grammar

There are also several verbs that take de+ adjective, to indicate a condi-

tion or characteristic:

Las dos presumían de guapas.

They both thought they were pretty.

De to form adjectival phrases

These may be purely descriptive but can also express intended use:

una niña de ojos azules a girl with blue eyes

un edificio de techo plano a flat-roofed building

un molinillo de café a coffee grinder

De to form adverbial phrases

Examples from the many include:

de buena/ willingly/

mala gana reluctantly

de golpe/repente suddenly

de vez en from time

cuando to time

Other uses of de

Other uses of deare discussed in the relevant sections as follows:

(a) In comparisons: see 26.4.

(b) With time of day and dates: see 23.1.5.1/2.

(c) Before infinitives: see 17.2.1(b), 17.2.5.2, 17.4.

(d) To introduce an agent after a past participle: see p. 178n4

(e) To form compound nouns: see 29.3.2.

Dentro de, fuera de

Dentro deexpresses ‘(with)in’ and ‘inside’ with regard to physical location,

and ‘(with)in’ with reference to time in the future:

21.7

21.6.10

21.6.9

21.6.8

1111

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1011

1

12111

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

20111

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

30111

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

40

41111

21

Prepositions

224

de nuevo again

de paso in passing

de pie standing