Está al lado del consultorio.
It's next to the doctor's office.
Watch for del: de and el join into one word, so before a masculine noun the phrase ends in del.
From Dr. House · Spanish audio
Spanish vocabularyA1 · Beginner
How to say "next to" in Spanish
al lado de
phrasebefore el: al lado delnext to me: a mi lado
"Next to" in Spanish is al lado de: La tienda está al lado de la plaza. When the next word is el, de and el merge into del, so you say al lado del parque. For "next to me", Spanish prefers a mi lado.
Hear "al lado de" in a real scene
A quick answer to where something is. The video starts and stops on that line.
Al lado de and other place words
Six phrases for saying where something is. All of them work with estar.
| Spanish | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| al lado de | next to | al lado de la farmacia |
| junto a | next to, beside (a little more formal) | junto a la ventana |
| cerca de | near | cerca del centro |
| lejos de | far from | lejos de la playa |
| enfrente de | across from | enfrente del banco |
| entre | between | entre el banco y la farmacia |
Tip: Drop the de and al lado means next door: Mi amiga vive al lado. The house next door is la casa de al lado.
Grammar: al lado de, al lado del
Four points for giving directions.
de + el = del
al lado del banco, but al lado de la plaza and al lado de los árboles. Only the singular el merges.Next to a person
Use a possessive: a mi lado, a tu lado, a su lado. Siéntate a mi lado means sit next to me.Location takes estar
To say where a place or thing is, use estar: El taller está al lado del hospital.Link the two l's
Say al-LAH-doh as one smooth unit. The l of al runs straight into lado.Example sentences
Sentences from the Wordy Spanish course. Tap to listen.
El banco está al lado del supermercado.
The bank is next to the supermarket.
Al lado del restaurante.
Next to the restaurant.
Hay tiendas al lado del parque.
There are shops next to the park.
El taller está al lado del hospital.
The repair shop is next to the hospital.
Common mistakes
Mistakes learners make with this word, and how to fix them.
✗al lado de el hospital
✓al lado del hospital
De followed by the article el always contracts to del.
✗al lado la plaza
✓al lado de la plaza
The de is part of the phrase. Without it, the sentence falls apart.
✗La tienda es al lado del parque
✓La tienda está al lado del parque
Where a shop or building stands is a location, so use estar.
Practice: 3 quick exercises
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How to remember it
Lado sounds like ladder. Picture a ladder leaning right next to a wall: al lado de la pared.
Questions about "next to" in Spanish
How do you say next to in Spanish?
Al lado de: El banco está al lado del supermercado. In writing you'll also see junto a.
How do you say "next to me" in Spanish?
A mi lado, as in Siéntate a mi lado. Next to you is a tu lado.
Is it al lado de or al lado del?
Use del right before a masculine singular noun: al lado del parque. Everywhere else keep de: al lado de la casa, al lado de los coches.
How do you say "next door" in Spanish?
Al lado, with no de: Vivo al lado. The neighbors next door are los vecinos de al lado.
