En lugar de
Example: Prefiero leer un libro en lugar de ver televisión.
Definition
"En lugar de" is a Spanish expression used to indicate substitution or replacement, meaning 'instead of' or 'in place of.' It is commonly used to show preference or an alternative action, as in 'I prefer to read a book en lugar de watch television.'
Etymology
The phrase "en lugar de" comes from the Spanish words 'en' (in), 'lugar' (place), and the preposition 'de' (of). Literally, it translates to 'in place of.' Its use dates back to classical Spanish, where it clearly conveyed the idea of replacing one thing with another.
Learn to use this expression actively
"En lugar de" appears in the Vocaplus list "Spanish - General - Modismos y refranes - (A2) - parte 1", containing 106 commonly used expressions.
Would you like to not only understand these expressions, but also remember them and use them actively? Create a free account and select Spanish as the language you want to learn.
Create a free account
