Modern Spanish Grammar: A Practical Guide

Groups of prepositions 25.2sin decir palabra ‘without saying a word’sin problema ‘no problem’sinvergüenza ‘shameless’una tarea sin terminar (see 32) ‘an unfinished task’25.1.2625.1.26.125.1.26.2 25.1.26.325.1.26.4 25.1.27SobreSobre has the meaning of ‘on’ (‘top of’) and is an alternative to en in this meaning(see 25.1.14). It is also equivalent to, but rather more frequent than, encima de,which is used when an idea of height is involved (see 25.1.16). It is also used to denotesuperior status.Las llaves están sobre/en la mesa. (see 39.3)The keys are on the table.El dinero estaba sobre/encima del armario. (see 39.3)The money was on top of the wardrobe.El director de marketing está sobre el jefe de ventas. (see 39.3)The marketing director is above the sales manager.Sobre also has the meaning of ‘about’, ‘concerning’.39.3 (p. 232)un libro sobre Nerudaa book about NerudaSobre gustos no hay nada escrito. (idiom)There are no rules concerning taste.In time expressions, sobre means ‘about’, ‘approximately’.Nos veremos sobre las cinco.We’ll see one another round about five.With place names, sobre has the meaning of ‘near’:39.3 (p. 232)TrasEstaba sobre la calle de Serrano. (see 39.3)It was near the Calle Serrano.Tras is now used a great deal in journalistic Spanish as an alternative to después de(see 25.1.12); it is otherwise used in expressions which link two nouns:día tras día ‘day after day’25.2Groups of prepositions129Sequences of prepositions may be used to indicate more complex ideas, much as inEnglish: