Verbs of Movement (Leaving Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
Verbs of movement
Overview
Verbs of movement in Spanish describe how people and things move from one place to another. These verbs work with specific prepositions to show different aspects of movement. Understanding which preposition to use helps you express exactly what you mean when talking about going places, travelling, or moving around.
There are three main patterns you need to learn: verbs with a (showing where you're going), verbs with de (showing where you're coming from), and verbs with en (showing how you're travelling).
The Three Essential Patterns:
- a → destination (where you're going to)
- de → origin (where you're coming from)
- en → means of transport (how you're travelling)
Mastering these three patterns will unlock your ability to express all types of movement in Spanish!
Rules & formation
Spanish movement verbs follow a clear pattern when combined with prepositions. The structure is always:
Essential Structure Formula:
Verb + preposition + destination/origin/transport
This formula never changes - memorise it!
The preposition you choose completely changes the meaning:
- a indicates the destination (where you're going to)
- de indicates the origin (where you're coming from)
- en indicates the means of transport (how you're travelling)
After the preposition, you can use a noun, pronoun, or infinitive depending on what you want to express.
Key movement verbs with destinations (a)
These verbs use the preposition a to show movement towards a destination:
| Verb | English | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| acercarse a | to approach, come close to | El perro se acercó al gato | The dog came close to the cat |
| bajar a | to go down, take down | Bajé al sótano y encontré un gato | I went down to the basement and found a cat |
| correr a | to run to | Corre a la puerta | Run to the door |
| entrar a | to enter | Entré a la oficina y esperé al doctor | I entered the office and waited for the doctor |
| ir a | to go to | ¿Vamos a la pizzería esta noche? | Are we going to the pizzeria tonight? |
| irse a | to go to, leave | Me voy a la playa este fin de semana | I'm leaving to go to the beach this weekend |
| llegar a | to arrive at, succeed in | Mi abuelo llegó a ser el dueño de la compañía | My grandfather succeeded in becoming the owner of the company |
| regresar a | to go back to | Regresamos a casa el domingo en la mañana | We went back home on Sunday morning |
| salir a | to go out to | Salí a caminar un rato | I went out to walk for a while |
| subir a | to get on, go up | Sube al segundo piso y trae la maleta | Go up to the second floor and bring the suitcase |
| venir a | to come to | Mis amigos vinieron a ver una película | My friends came to see a movie |
| viajar a | to travel to | Ella viaja al campo todos los viernes | She travels to the country every Friday |
| volver a | to return to, do again | ¿Volviste a llamar a la oficina? | Did you call the office again? |
Notice how a always points towards the destination - think of it as an arrow showing the direction of movement!
Key movement verbs with origins (de)
These verbs use the preposition de to show movement from an origin point:
| Verb | English | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| bajar de | to go down, get off | Bajamos del avión rápido | We got off the plane fast |
| correr de | to run from | El perro corre de la casa al árbol | The dog runs from the house to the tree |
| entrar de | to go in from | La niña entró de una habitación a otra | The girl came in from one room to the other |
| ir de | to go from | Voy de mi casa a la tuya en media hora | I'll go from my house to yours in half an hour |
| irse de | to go from, leave | Nos fuimos de la fiesta a las 11 | We left the party at 11 |
| llegar de | to arrive from | ¿Acabas de llegar del trabajo? | Did you just arrive from work? |
| regresar de | to come back from | Mi hermano regresa de Costa Rica mañana | My brother is coming back from Costa Rica tomorrow |
| salir de | to get out, leave | ¿A qué hora salió del edificio? | What time did you get out of the building? |
| subir de | to go up from | Subí del primer piso en ascensor | I went up from the first floor in the elevator |
| venir de | to come from | ¿De dónde vienes? | Where do you come from? |
| viajar de | to travel from | Mi abuelo viajó de España cuando tenía 20 años | My grandfather travelled from Spain when he was 20 years old |
| volver de | to return from | Volvimos de la ceremonia en la noche | We came back from the ceremony at night |
De always indicates the starting point or source of movement - remember it as "Departing from"!
Key movement verbs with transport (en)
These verbs use the preposition en to show the means of transport:
| Verb | English | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| bajar en | to go down by, descend by | Bajamos en bicicleta la montaña | We descended the mountain by bike |
| correr en | to go quickly, go fast | Los niños corrieron en sus patines | The children ran in their roller skates |
| entrar en | to enter, go in | Entramos en barco al país | We entered the country by ship |
| ir en | to go by | Voy en metro a la oficina | I go to the office by metro |
| irse en | to leave by | Me fui en bus del trabajo | I left work by bus |
| llegar en | to arrive by | ¿Llegaste en taxi? | Did you arrive by taxi? |
| regresar en | to come back by | Regresé en bus a casa | I came back home by bus |
| salir en | to go out, leave | Salí en moto con mi amigo | My friend and I went out by motorcycle |
| subir en | to go up | Subí en teleférico a la cima | I went up to the summit by cable car |
| venir en | to come by | ¿Viniste en tren? | Did you come by train? |
| viajar en | to travel by | Me encanta viajar en avión | I love to travel by plane |
| volver en | to come back, return | Volví en tranvía a mi casa | I went back home by tramway |
Think of en as being "ENclosed" or "ENcased" in your mode of transport!
Example sentences in context
Here are some practical examples showing how these verbs work in everyday situations:
Practical Usage Examples:
With destinations (a):
- Vamos a correr al parque esta tarde - We're going to run to the park this afternoon (showing the destination)
- Los estudiantes entraron al aula - The students entered the classroom (movement towards inside)
With origins (de):
- El tren llega de Madrid a las cinco - The train arrives from Madrid at five o'clock (showing where it started)
- Salimos de casa muy temprano - We left home very early (showing the starting point)
With transport (en):
- Prefiero viajar en tren que en coche - I prefer to travel by train than by car (showing the method)
- ¿Cómo llegaste? Vine en autobús - How did you arrive? I came by bus (showing the means)
Common mistakes & tips
Understanding these common errors will help you avoid them and speak more naturally:
Watch out for these frequent errors:
1. Mixing up "a" and "de": Remember that "a" shows where you're going TO, while "de" shows where you're coming FROM
- ✗ Voy de la tienda (incorrect - this suggests leaving)
- ✓ Voy a la tienda (correct - going to the shop)
2. Using the wrong preposition with transport: Always use "en" when talking about HOW you travel
- ✗ Viajo a tren (incorrect preposition)
- ✓ Viajo en tren (correct - travelling by train)
3. Forgetting that "volver a" has two meanings: It can mean "to return to" or "to do something again"
- Volvió a casa = He returned home
- Volvió a llamar = He called again
4. Confusing "ir" and "irse": "Irse" suggests leaving or departing, while "ir" is just going
- Voy al cine = I'm going to the cinema
- Me voy del cine = I'm leaving the cinema
Memory Tips to Master These Patterns:
- Think of "A" as an arrow pointing TO your destination
- Remember "DE" as "Departing from" your starting point
- Picture "EN" as being "ENclosed" in your transport
Practice with real situations to remember which preposition fits each context!
Key Points to Remember:
- A = destination (where you're going to)
- DE = origin (where you're coming from)
- EN = transport (how you're travelling)
- These prepositions completely change the meaning of movement verbs
- The structure is always: Verb + preposition + destination/origin/transport
- Practice with real situations to internalise these patterns naturally