Prepositions

A preposition tells you where something is, when it happens, or how it relates to something else. About seventy are in daily use and no single rule covers them, so learn them in groups and in whole phrases.

Prepositions of time

Think of a funnel: at for the smallest unit, on for a day, in for the largest.

Prepositions of time
Word	Use it for	Example	Urdu
at	clock time, mealtimes, night	The class starts at 9 o'clock. / I study at night.	مقررہ وقت پر
on	days and dates	The test is on Monday. / She was born on 14 August.	دن یا تاریخ پر
in	months, years, seasons, parts of the day	I will apply in September. / He wakes up early in the morning.	مہینے، سال، موسم میں
for	a length of time	I have studied for two hours.	کتنی دیر تک
since	a starting point in time	I have studied since morning.	کب سے
during	within a period	She slept during the lecture.	دوران
by	not later than a deadline	Submit the form by Friday.	تک (آخری حد)
until / till	up to a point in time	Wait until six o'clock.	تک (مسلسل)
from … to	start and end	The office is open from nine to five.	سے … تک
ago	counting back from now	I met him two years ago.	پہلے

Prepositions of place

The same funnel works for place: at a point, on a surface, in an enclosed space.

Prepositions of place
Word	Use it for	Example	Urdu
at	a point or an address	She is at the bus stop. / We met at 12 MM Alam Road.	کسی جگہ پر
on	a surface, a street, a floor	The book is on the table. / He lives on the third floor.	اوپر (سطح پر)
in	inside something with edges	The keys are in my bag. / She lives in Lahore.	اندر
under	below and covered	The cat is under the chair.	نیچے
below	lower than, not touching	The temperature fell below zero.	سے نیچے
over	above, often covering or crossing	A bridge goes over the canal.	اوپر سے
above	higher than	The clock is above the door.	سے اوپر
between	in the middle of two	Sialkot lies between Gujranwala and Narowal.	دو کے درمیان
among	in the middle of three or more	She was among the best students.	کئی کے درمیان
beside / next to	at the side of	Sit beside me. / The bank is next to the school.	ساتھ / برابر میں
behind	at the back of	The garden is behind the house.	پیچھے
in front of	before something, facing it	He parked in front of the gate.	سامنے
opposite	facing across	The mosque is opposite the market.	آمنے سامنے
near	close to	I live near the university.	قریب

Prepositions of movement and direction

These answer the question where to?

Prepositions of movement and direction
Word	Use it for	Example	Urdu
to	movement towards a destination	I am going to college.	کی طرف / کو
into	movement to the inside	She walked into the room.	اندر کی طرف
onto	movement to a surface	The cat jumped onto the roof.	اوپر کی طرف
out of	movement from inside	He came out of the office.	سے باہر
from	the starting point	I came from Multan.	سے
towards	in the direction of	He ran towards the gate.	کی جانب
through	in one side and out the other	We drove through the tunnel.	کے آر پار
across	from one side to the other	She swam across the river.	پار
along	following the line of	We walked along the canal.	کے ساتھ ساتھ
up / down	higher / lower	He climbed up the stairs and came down again.	اوپر / نیچے

Other common prepositions

These attach to particular verbs, nouns and adjectives. Learn them as whole phrases.

Other common prepositions
Word	Use it for	Example	Urdu
of	belonging, part	The capital of Pakistan is Islamabad.	کا / کی
for	purpose or benefit	This letter is for you.	کے لیے
with	together, using	I went with my brother. / Write with a pen.	کے ساتھ
without	lacking	He left without saying goodbye.	کے بغیر
by	the doer, or the means	The letter was written by Ali. / I travel by bus.	کے ذریعے
about	on the subject of	We talked about the visa process.	کے بارے میں
like	similar to	He speaks like a teacher.	کی طرح
according to	as stated by	According to the university, the deadline is May.	کے مطابق
instead of	in place of	Drink water instead of cola.	کی بجائے
because of	the reason	The flight was late because of the fog.	کی وجہ سے

Fixed pairs you must memorise

These do not follow logic. The verb, adjective or noun simply owns that preposition. Learn the two words together as if they were one word.

Verb + preposition

depend onlisten towait forlook atlook for (search)look after (take care)apply for a courseapply to a universitybelong toagree with a personagree to a planarrive at a placearrive in a citysucceed insuffer fromconsist oflaugh atrely on

Adjective + preposition

good atbad atinterested inafraid ofproud offamous forresponsible formarried tosimilar todifferent fromfull oftired ofangry with a personkind to

Noun + preposition

a reason foran answer toa solution toan increase ina demand foran example ofan expert inthe cause ofan advantage ofan effect on

Ten preposition mistakes Urdu speakers make
Wrong	Right	Why
We discussed about the plan.	We discussed the plan.	Discuss takes no preposition.
She is married with a doctor.	She is married to a doctor.	Always married to.
I am living in Lahore since 2020.	I have been living in Lahore since 2020.	Since needs a perfect tense.
He reached to the office.	He reached the office.	Reach takes no preposition; arrive takes at / in.
I will meet with you tomorrow.	I will meet you tomorrow.	Meet a person directly.
Explain me this question.	Explain this question to me.	Explain something to somebody.
She is good in English.	She is good at English.	Skills take at.
I am waiting your reply.	I am waiting for your reply.	Wait always takes for.
Different than mine.	Different from mine.	British English uses different from.
He entered into the room.	He entered the room.	Enter takes no preposition for a place.

Check yourself

Put in the right preposition.

The class starts ___ nine o'clock ___ Monday.
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at … on
She was born ___ 1998 ___ 3 March.
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in … on
I have lived here ___ five years, ___ 2021.
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for … since
He is good ___ mathematics but afraid ___ speaking in public.
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at … of
Fix: We discussed about the plan.
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We discussed the plan.
Fix: She is married with a doctor.
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She is married to a doctor.
Fix: Explain me this rule.
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Explain this rule to me.
Fix: I am waiting your reply.
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I am waiting for your reply.

More practice on this topic: 15 exercises →