Difference between を and に for position (前を)?


> ～が前 **を** 歩いていました

I read [this](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/48063/whats-the-
difference-between-particle-%e3%82%92-and-%e3%81%ab-when-used-for-location)
answer but I feel like this case is different because 前 is not a place but a
relative position. I'm used to seeing に used for position, for example when
giving directions "左にあります". What would be the difference if I were to say "～が前
**に** 歩いていました"? Are we using を because 前に could be confused with "before" in
time? When should we use を for the position instead of に?




The answer in your link applies to your sentence, too. See [this
question](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/3243/5010), too. 前 is a
relative place that may move along with the "parent object", but it's still a
place. If someone keeps walking in front of you for some time, を as a location
marker should be used, because he is keeping inside your 前. The same is true
with 後ろ, 右, 下 and so on.

On the other hand, に used with a verb of motion marks a **destination**. For
example, ビルの前 **に** 歩く means walking **to** the front of a building from some
remote place ( **EDIT** : ビルの前まで歩く is more common for this meaning). ビルの前
**を** 歩く means walking in front of a (large) building.




The answer in your link applies to your sentence, too. See [this
question](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/3243/5010), too. 前 is a
relative place that may move along with the "parent object", but it's still a
place. If someone keeps walking in front of you for some time, を as a location
marker should be used, because he is keeping inside your 前. The same is true
with 後ろ, 右, 下 and so on.

On the other hand, に used with a verb of motion marks a **destination**. For
example, ビルの前 **に** 歩く means walking **to** the front of a building from some
remote place ( **EDIT** : ビルの前まで歩く is more common for this meaning). ビルの前
**を** 歩く means walking in front of a (large) building.

