To express the beginning or end of a period, month, season, for example "at the beginning of January..." or "at the end of the summer..." we use the following:
- A principios de...= At the beginning of...
- A mediados de... = mid ...
- A finales de... = At the end of...
For example:
A principios de mayo tenemos fiestas en mi pueblo.At the beginning of May we have festivities in my town.
Note that we don't use the article "los" (the) like in English: at the beginning of...; Also note that we use the words in plural, not in singular: principios, mediados (not principio, not mediado).
For "at the beginning of..." we sometimes use "A comienzos de...", although it is slightly more formal than "a principios de...":
For "at the end of..." we sometimes use it in singular: a final de...
To refer to the beginning or end of a space the expressions are slightly different, i.e. if you are referring to the beginning of a street, in the middle of a classroom... In this case we use:
Al principio de... = at the beginning of...
En mitad de... / En medio de... = in the middle of...
Al final de... = at the end of...
For example:
Remember not to mix them up. These would be incorrect:
Talking about space
La farmacia está muy cerca, a principios de esta calle.
La farmacia está muy cerca, al principio de esta calle. (correct)
The chemist is very close, at the beginning of this street.
Talking about period
Me voy a mudar a otra ciudad en el medio de octubre.
Me voy a mudar a otra ciudad a mediados de octubre.
I am moving to another city in the middle of October.
Look out for the contraction "del" if there is a masculine noun, for example:
"a finales del mes que viene"
"en medio del pasillo"
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