Skip to content

pel

by (Catalan preposition)

preposition pehl Rare
Grammar & Structure Prepositions

Origin: From Catalan contraction of per + el ('by the / for the'), paralleling Castilian por el.

Usage Note

Pel is a Catalan word — the contracted form of per + el ('by the', 'for the') — that appears in Spanish texts when quoting Catalan, in bilingual signage in Catalonia, or in code-switching contexts. It is not a Spanish word and learners should not use it in standard Castilian. Seeing it in a Spanish text usually signals a Catalan-language fragment.

Examples

"El cartell deia 'pel carrer major'."

Natural Translation

The sign read 'along the main street'.

Explore Spanish by topic