Prepositions 在/从/到
Prepositions 在, 从, and 到 for location and direction
I can express location and direction using 在, 从, and 到
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
我在图书馆学习。
I study at the library.
她从美国来。
She comes from America.
从九点到五点上班。
Work from 9 to 5.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
在、从、到
These three prepositions handle location and direction in Chinese.
| Prep | Pinyin | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 在 | zài | at / in / on | 我在家 (I'm at home) |
| 从 | cóng | from | 从北京来 (come from Beijing) |
| 到 | dào | to / until | 到学校去 (go to school) |
Key rule: Prepositional phrases go before the verb in Chinese (opposite of English):
我在家吃饭。(I eat at home.) — NOT *我吃饭在家。
我从北京来。(I come from Beijing.)
从...到: 从九点到五点 (from 9 to 5), 从北京到上海 (from Beijing to Shanghai).
Common Error Patterns
Placed prepositional phrase after the verb instead of before
Chinese prepositional phrases go BEFORE the verb: 在家吃饭, not *吃饭在家.
我在图书馆学习。
I study at the library.
在 + place comes BEFORE the verb: 在图书馆 (at the library) + 学习 (study). Not *我学习在图书馆.
她从美国来。
She comes from America.
从 (cóng) = 'from'. The prepositional phrase 从美国 comes before the verb 来 (come).
从九点到五点上班。
Work from 9 to 5.
从...到 (cóng...dào) = 'from...to' for both time and place: 从九点到五点 = from 9 o'clock to 5 o'clock.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises