alrededor

Alrededor is a Spanish word with two principal uses. As an adverb or preposition, it means around or about and is used to indicate a physical perimeter, a vicinity, or an approximate quantity. When followed by de, as in alrededor de, it introduces the thing being referred to: alrededor de la casa, alrededor de 120 personas, alrededor de las doce. It can also function as a noun in the plural, los alrededores, referring to the area surrounding a place—the outskirts or environs. Examples include caminar alrededor de la plaza and los alrededores de la ciudad are common phrases.

Etymology and related forms contribute to its meanings. The form appears to come from a + rededor, where rededor is related to the idea of surrounding or encircling, derived from the verb rodear (to surround). The noun los alrededores further emphasizes the notion of what lies around or near a given place. This dual origin supports both the spatial sense (around something) and the evaluative sense (approximately).

Usage notes and variants. In spoken Spanish, alrededor de is the standard construction to cite approximate numbers or times, as in “aproximadamente” or “about.” In a physical sense, phrases like “el jardín está alrededor de la casa” convey a circular or surrounding position. The plural form los alrededores is common when discussing districts, regions, or the vicinity of a location. Overall, alrededor functions flexibly to describe proximity, perimeter, or estimation across contexts.