1. AT
🧠Tip: Use for specific points in time or space.
✅ at 5pm
✅ at the door
✅ at night
✅ at school / at work
❌ in night → ✅ at night
2. IN
🧠Tip: Use for inside something, or months/years/longer periods.
✅ in the room
✅ in July / in 1995
✅ in Brazil
❌ on Brazil → ✅ in Brazil
3. ON
🧠Tip: Use for surfaces and specific days/dates.
✅ on the table
✅ on Monday / on July 4th
✅ on TV / on the phone
❌ in Monday → ✅ on Monday
4. TO
🧠Tip: Use for direction and movement toward a target.
✅ go to work / to the bank
✅ give it to me
❌ arrived to the airport → ✅ arrived at the airport
5. FOR
🧠Tip: Use for purpose, benefit, or duration.
✅ This gift is for you.
✅ I worked there for 3 years.
✅ It’s good for your health.
❌ good to your health → ✅ good for your health
6. BY
🧠Tip: Use for who did something, how, or deadlines.
✅ a book by Paulo Coelho
✅ travel by car / by plane
✅ finish it by Friday
❌ finish until Friday → ✅ finish by Friday
7. ABOUT
🧠Tip: Use to talk about subjects or topics.
✅ talk about the movie
✅ a book about history
❌ speak of politics → ✅ speak about politics
8. FROM
🧠Tip: Use for origin, distance, or difference.
✅ I’m from Brazil.
✅ 2 km from here
✅ different from you
❌ different of you → ✅ different from you
9. OVER / ABOVE
🧠Tip:
Use “over” for movement or covering.
Use “above” for position or level.
✅ The plane flew over the city.
✅ The shelf is above the bed.
✅ The blanket is over the bed.
❌ the shelf is over the bed → “above” is clearer
10. UNDER / BELOW
🧠Tip:
Use “under” for direct physical position.
Use “below” more for measurement, rank, or abstract level.
✅ The pen is under the table.
✅ The temperature is below zero.
✅ He ranked below average.
🎯 Expanded: Bonus Confusing Pairs
| 🇵🇹 Common Mistake (Translation) | 🇬🇧 Correct Preposition | 💬 Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| depend of | depend on | Depender de = depend on |
| married with | married to | “Casado com” = married to |
| similar with | similar to | “Semelhante a” = similar to |
| listen music | listen to music | “Ouvir música” needs to in English |
| think in you | think about you | “Pensar em” = think about |
| arrive in the airport | arrive at the airport | Use at for points like airports, stations |
| good to your health | good for your health | “Bom para” = good for |
| explain me this | explain this to me | “Explicar algo para alguém” → explain something to someone |
| ask to someone | ask someone | No preposition needed: “ask her a question” |
| answer to the question | answer the question | No “to” needed with “answer” |