1 COLLOCATIONS (PREPOSITIONS)

VERBS + PREPOSITIONS
TO
Adapt to /əˈdæpt/ Adaptarse It took time to adapt to my new boss.
Add to /æd/ Añadir He added some water to his whisky.
Sumar Add 124 to 356.
Adjust to /əˈdʒʌst/ Adaptarse They found it difficult to adjust to life in a
new country.
Admit to /ədˈmɪt/ Admitir Both men admitted to taking illegal drugs.
Appeal to (smb) /əˈpiːl/ Atraer a alguien Smoking has never appealed to me.
Agree to /əˈɡriː/ Acordar They agreed to meet on Sunday.
Aceptar She agreed to help him.
Apologize to /əˈpɒlədʒaɪz/ Disculparse con alguien I apologized to her.
Apply to /əˈplaɪ/ Afectar/ser aplicable This law only applies to married people.
Belong to /bɪˈlɔŋ/
 Someone Pertenecer a alguien This necklace belonged to my mother.
 Something Pertenecer a algo We belong to the same health club.
Consent to /kənˈsent/ Consentir/acceder I had no choice but to consent to the plan
Devote (something) to Devoto a She has devoted all her energies/life to the
/dɪˈvəʊt/ care of homeless people.
Happen to /ˈhæpən/ Ocurrir/pasar something must have happened to her.
Lead to /liːd/ Ocasionar The heavy rain led to serious floods.
Listen to /ˈlɪsən/ Escuchar I listen to the radio while I’m at home
Object to /əbˈdʒekt/ Objetar He wanted us to travel on foot, but I
objected (to that).
React to /riˈækt/ Reaccionar He reacted angrily to her comments.
Refer to /rəˈfəː/ Referirse/hacer alusión I referred to your theories in my last book.
Enviar/remitir I’ll refer you to the managing director.
Reply to /rɪˈplaɪ/ Responder He didn’t reply to my email.
Speak to /spiːk/ Hablar Can I speak to/with you for a moment?
Talk to /tɔːk/ Hablar I was just talking to Adam.
Turn to /tɜːn/ Turno It’s your turn to clean the flat.
Pasar Turn to page 35.
FOR
Admire for /ədˈmaɪər/ Admirar I admire him for being so determined.
Account for smt /əˈkaʊnt/ Rendir cuentas por algo Can she account for the missing money?
Apologize for /əˈpɒlədʒaɪz/ Disculparse por algo He apologized for being rude.
Apply for /əˈplaɪ/ Solicitar I’ve applied for a job.
Ask for /ɑːsk/ Preguntar por/pedir I asked (him) for a day off.
Preguntar por alguien When he telephoned he asked for you
Arrest smb for /əˈrest/ Detener/arrestar He was arrested for possession of illegal
drugs.
Beg someone for /beɡ/ Suplicar/pedir algo He begged (me) for money.
Blame for /bleɪm/ Culpar She still blames him for Tony’s accident.
Care for /keər/ Cuidar The nurse will care for you.
Querer I don’t care for him enough to marry him.
Excuse for /ɪkˈskjuːz/ Excusa There is no excuse for terrorism.
Long for /lɒŋ/ Durante mucho tiempo Did you have to wait long for the train?
Pay for /peɪ/ Pagar He paid $5 for the book.
Pray for /preɪ/ Rezar Let us pray for all the sick children.
Prepare for /prɪˈpeər/ Preparar I prepared lunch for the kids.
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Scold for /skəʊld/ Regañar His mother scolded him for breaking a
vase.
Search for /sɜːtʃ/ Buscar He searched in his pockets for some
change.
Vote for /vəʊt/ Votar Who did you vote for?
Wait for /weɪt/ Esperar I’m waiting for Harry.
Wish for /wɪʃ/ Desear I wished him luck for his test.
Work for /wɜːk/ Trabajar Helen works for a computer company.
FROM
Abstain from /əbˈsteɪn/ Abstenerse (de) He abstained from alcohol.
Borrow from /ˈbɒrəʊ/ Tomar prestado He borrowed a book from the library.
Escape from /ɪˈskeɪp/ Escapar The two killers escaped from prison.
Graduate from/ˈɡrædʒuət/ Graduarse He graduated from Cambridge University
Hide from /haɪd/ Esconderse She hid from her father.
Infer from /ɪnˈfɜːr/ Inferir/deducir I inferred from the number of cups that he
was expecting visitors.
Prevent from /prɪˈvent/ Impedir/evitar Visitors were prevented from entering the
building.
Prohibit from /prəʊˈhɪb·ɪt/ Prohibir The committee voted to prohibit people
from leaving before it was over.
Protect from /prəˈtekt/ Proteger It’s important to protect your skin from the
sun.
Recover from /rɪˈkʌv·ər/ Recuperarse It takes a long time to recover from
surgery.
Rescue from /ˈres·kjuː/ Rescatar Fifty passengers had to be rescued from a
sinking ship.
Resign from /rɪˈzaɪn/ Dimitir/renunciar a Mr Aitken has resigned from the company.
Retire from /rɪˈtaɪər/ Jubilarse She retired from the company in 2010.
Save from /seɪv/ Salvar/rescatar He saved his friend from drowning.
Separate from Separarse de They were to watch and not separate from
each other.
Stem from /stem/ Provenir de algo Her problems stem from her difficult
childhood.
Suffer from /ˈsʌf·ər/ Padecer algo She suffers from depression.
AT
Aim at /eɪm/ Apuntar (un arma) He aimed the gun at the target.
Arrive at /əˈraɪv/ Llegar (con lugares We arrived at the airport early.
pequeños) The committee failed to arrive at a
Llegar a (una decisión) decision.
Glance at /ɡlɑːns/ Echar un vistazo He glanced at his watch.
Guess at /ɡes/ Adivinar We can only guess at what he looked like.
Hint at /hɪnt/ Sugerir These changes hint at very complex
processes.
Laugh at /læf/ Reírse You never laugh at my jokes.
Look at /lʊk/ Mirar Look at the picture on page two.
Marvel at /ˈmɑː.vəl/ Maravillarse por algo We've been marveling at your painting,
Peer at /pɪər/ Examinar con la vista She peered at me over her glasses.
Point at /pɔɪnt/ Apuntar She pointed her gun at them.
Smile at /smaɪl/ Sonreír She smiled at me.
Stare at /steər/ Mirar fijamente They stared at her clothes in amazement.
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Wink at /wɪŋk/ Guiñar un ojo She smiled and winked at me.

UP
Bring up /brɪŋ/ Criar a alguien Her grandparents brought her up.
Sacar algo a colación She’s always bringing up her health
problems.
Grow up /ɡrəʊ/ Crecer/hacerse mayor I’m going to be an train driver when I grow
up.
Speak up /spiːk/ Hablar más alto Could you speak up, please?
ON
Agree on /əˈɡriː/ Estar/ponerse de They have finally agreed on a name for
acuerdo en algo their new dog.
Arrive on /əˈraɪv/ Llegar (solo con días y We are arriving on Friday evening
fechas)
Base on /beɪs/ Basado en Prices are based on two people sharing a
room.
Be on /biː/ Estar en To be on the wrong track.
Blame on /bleɪm/ Echar la culpa They put the blame on faulty equipment.
Comment on /ˈkɒm·ent/ Hacer comentarios My mum always comments on what I’m
wearing.
Concentrate on Concentrarse I can’t concentrate on my work. It’s too
/ˈkɒn·sən·treɪt/ noisy.
Congratulate on Felicitar I congratulated Lulu on passing her exam.
Count on /kaʊnt/ Contar con alguien I can always count on my parents to help
me.
Depend on /dɪˈpend/ Confiar en You can always depend on her in a crisis.
Depender de Our economy depends on the car industry.
Elaborate on /ɪˈlæb·ər·ət/ Entrar en detalles She refused to elaborate on her reasons.
Grow on /ɡrəʊ/ Gustar cada vez más I didn’t like the painting at first, but it has
grown on me.
Impose on /ɪmˈpəʊz/ Imponer Very high taxes have recently been
imposed on cigarettes.
Insist on/ ɪnˈsɪst/ Insistir (en) She insisted on seeing her lawyer.
Play on /pleɪ/ Aprovecharse de, He played on my sympathy until I lent him
explotar $10.
Pride on /praɪd/ Sentirse orgulloso He prides himself on his driving skill.
Rely on /rəˈlai/ Confiar en Can he rely on him to keep a secret?
Work on /wɜːk/ Trabaja (en) I need to get to work on my essay.
ABOUT
Argue about /ˈɑː·ɡjuː/ Discutir They are always arguing about money.
Ask about /ɑːsk/ Preguntar por algo I asked him about his hobbies.
Be about (to) /biː/ Estar a punto de The train is just about to leave
Boast about /bəʊst/ Jactarse/alardear I wish she would stop boasting about her
new car.
Care about /keər/ Preocuparse She cares a lot about her appearance.
Concern about /kənˈsɜːn/ Preocuparse He’s concern about his son hasn’t been in
contact.
Decide about Decidirse sobre Every woman has a right to decide about
her own body.
Dream about /driːm/ Soñar I dream about becoming a doctor.
Forget about /fəˈɡet/ Olvidarse de Let’s try to forget about work.
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Know about /nəʊ/ Saber/conocer He knows all about it.

Laugh about (something) Reírse de algo You might think of the joke and laugh
about it.
Protest about /ˈprəʊ·test Protestar sobre algo We protest about being insulted.
Talk about /tɔːk/ Hablar/conversar We were just talking about Simon’s new
girlfriend.
Think about /θɪŋk/ Pensar sobre I was thinking about my mother.
Worry about /ˈwʌr·i/ Preocuparse She’s always worrying about something.
WITH
Acquaint with /əˈkweint/ Familiarizarse con You must acquaint yourself with the
routine of the office.
Informar (formal) Have you acquainted her with your plans?
Agree with /əˈɡri/ Ponerse de acuerdo I agree with you.
Associate with Asociar Most people associate this brand with
good quality.
Charge with /tʃɑːdʒ/ Acusar He has been charged with murder.
Clutter with /ˈklʌt.ər/ Abarrotar/atestar Every shelf is cluttered with ornaments.
Coincide with /kəʊ.ɪnˈsaɪd/ Coincidir I timed my holiday to coincide with the
children’s.
Collide with /kəˈlaɪd/ Chocar The car collided with a van.
Compare with /kəmˈpeər/ Comparar The teachers are always comparing me
with my sister.
Comply with /kəmˈplaɪ/ Cumplir con You must comply (with her wishes).
Confront with /kənˈfrʌnt/ Afrontar He was confronted with the evidence of his
crime.
Confuse with /kənˈfjuːz/ Confundir People often confuse me with my brother.
Cover with /ˈkʌv·ər/ Tapar/cubrir They covered him with a blanket.
Cram with /kræm/ Abarrotar/meter a The drawer was crammed with papers.
presión
Deal with (something) Ocuparse de algo How will we deal with these problems?
(someone) Tratar con alguien She’s good at dealing with difficult
customers.
Discuss with /dɪˈskʌs/ Hablar sobre Have you discussed this matter with
anyone else?
Fascination with Fascinación con His fascination with the subject began in
/fæs·ɪˈneɪ·ʃən/ 2000.
Help smb with /help/ Ayudar a alguien Dad always helps me with my homework.
Tamper with /ˈtӕmpə/ Meterse/entrometerse Don’t tamper with the engine.
Trust smb with Confiar algo a alguien I can’t trust him with my car.
IN
Absorb in Absorber He was completely absorbed in his book.
Arrive in /əˈraɪv/ Llegar (para lugares We arrived in Paris at noon.
grandes; ciudad, país)
Be engrossed in /ɪnˈɡrəʊst/ Absorto He is completely engrossed in his work.
Believe in /bɪˈliːv/ Creer en algo Do you believe in ghosts?
Confide in /kənˈfaid/ Confiar He confided in his brother.
Involve in /inˈvolv/ Implicar He has always been involved in the theatre
Participate in Participar She rarely participates in any of the
/pɑːˈtɪs·ɪ·peɪt/ discussions.
Result in /rɪˈzʌlt/ Acabar en The match resulted in a draw.
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Specialize in /ˈspeʃ·əl·aɪz/ Especializarse She works for a company specializing in

business law.
Succeed in /səkˈsiːd/ Tener éxito He finally succeeded in passing his exams.
Trust in /trʌst/ Confiar en She trusted (in) him.
OF
Approve of /əˈpruːv/ Estar de acuerdo I don’t approve of smoking.
Accuse smb of sth /əˈkjuːz/ Acusar a alguien de algo She accused him of stealing from her.