Spanish word

ante

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈante/

Meaning

  • prepositionfacing

Example

Nos encontramos ante un problema difícil.

We are facing a difficult problem.

Illustration for ante (facing)

More examples

Se puso nerviosa ante el público.

She became nervous in front of the audience.

Core concept

A person facing a large obstacle.

Common phrases

  • ante el público

    in front of the audience

  • ante la clase

    in front of the class

  • ante mis amigos

    in front of my friends

Similar words

frente a: Facing a person or situation with direct engagement, often implying confrontation.
delante de: Situated immediately in front of a person or object in physical space.
enfrente de: Positioned directly opposite a person or object so their fronts face each other.

Definition in Spanish

Introduce aquello que se tiene delante, ya sea un lugar físico o una situación que exige respuesta o reacción.

Word origin

From Latin ante 'before', used in Spanish as a preposition that marks what lies in front of someone or a situation that requires response.

Usage tips

  • The Spanish word ante is fairly formal and is often replaced in speech by delante de for physical position or by frente a for facing a situation.

Other meanings

  • in front ofpreposition

Opposites

  • trasafterpreposition

Related words

Word lists with this word