Wireless communications systems and methods related to communicating positioning reference signals (PRSs) for narrowband communication are provided. A first wireless communication device determines a time-frequency PRS pattern based at least in part on a narrowband communication frequency band configuration and a PRS subframe configuration mode associated with a set of subframes. The first wireless communication device communicates, with a second wireless communication device, a plurality of PRSs using the determined PRS time-frequency pattern in the set of subframes. The PRS subframe configuration mode can indicate a first configuration including a bitmap indicating a set of PRS subframes positioned within a group of contiguous subframes, a second configuration indicating a subset of the group of contiguous subframes that may carry the PRSs, or a combination thereof. The first configuration and/or the second configuration can be used to indicate the set of subframes.