{"id":5338,"date":"2012-07-12T14:55:18","date_gmt":"2012-07-12T18:55:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/spanish\/?p=5338"},"modified":"2012-07-12T14:57:01","modified_gmt":"2012-07-12T18:57:01","slug":"para-y-por","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/spanish\/para-y-por\/","title":{"rendered":"Para y Por"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>As we know, simple rules for a native speaker can be quite confusing when we are learning a foreign language. Some days ago I read somebody asking the difference between these two Spanish prepositions <strong><em>Por<\/em><\/strong> and <strong><em>Para<\/em><\/strong>. As you know, both words mean for in English, so the best way to differentiate between them is to know the specific ways in which they should be used.<\/p>\n<p>The preposition <strong><em>por<\/em><\/strong> has the following meanings:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Motion\/place:<\/strong> Caminan por las calles. (<em>They walk through the streets<\/em>.)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Means\/manner<\/strong>: Lo env\u00edo por correo a\u00e9reo. (<em>I\u2019m sending it by air-mail<\/em>.)<\/li>\n<li>In <strong>exchange for\/substitution<\/strong>: Lo dej\u00f3 por otro. (<em>She left him for somebody else<\/em>.)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Duration<\/strong> of an action: Viajar\u00e9 por tres d\u00edas. (<em>I\u00b4ll be traveling for three days.)<\/em><\/li>\n<li><strong>Indefinite period of time<\/strong>: Duerme por la tarde. (<em>He sleeps in the afternoon<\/em>.)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Per<\/strong>: Me pagan por d\u00eda. (<em>They pay me per day<\/em>.)<\/li>\n<li>To explain the <strong>reason<\/strong> or <strong>cause<\/strong> of an action: Tuvimos que cerrar la ventana por los mosquitos\u00a0 (<em>We had to shut the windows because of the mosquitos<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The preposition para can be used to express:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Destination\/place<\/strong>: Salimos para Madrid. (<em>We are leaving for Madrid<\/em>.)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Destination\/person<\/strong>: Esto es para t\u00ed. (<em>This is for you<\/em>.)<\/li>\n<li><strong>A future time limit<\/strong>: Es para ma\u00f1ana. (<em>It\u2019s for tomorrow<\/em>.)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Purpose<\/strong>\/<strong>goal<\/strong>: Nado para divertirme. (<em>I swim to have fun<\/em>.)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Use<\/strong>\/<strong>function<\/strong>: Es un cepillo para el pelo. (<em>It\u2019s a hair brush<\/em>.)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Comparisons<\/strong>: Para su edad, lee bien. (<em>For her age, she reads well.<\/em>)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Opinion<\/strong>: Para m\u00ed es demasiado crudo. (<em>For me it\u2019s too rare<\/em>.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It will be helpful to memorize model sentences, and some idiomatic expressions such as:<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a1Por Dios!<\/strong> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Oh, my God! (For God&#8217;s sake!)<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a1por fin!<\/strong> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 at last!<\/p>\n<p><strong>po<\/strong><strong>r lo <\/strong><strong>menos<\/strong> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 at least<\/p>\n<p><strong>dos veces por semana<\/strong> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 two times per week<\/p>\n<p><strong>por casualidad \u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 by chance<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00bfpor qu\u00e9?<\/strong> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 why? for what reason?<\/p>\n<p><strong>por separado<\/strong> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 separately<\/p>\n<p><strong>por si acaso, \u00a0por si las moscas<\/strong> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 just in case<\/p>\n<p><strong>por su cuenta<\/strong> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 on one&#8217;s own<\/p>\n<p><strong>para siempre<\/strong> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 forever<\/p>\n<p><strong>para variar<\/strong> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 just for a change<\/p>\n<p><strong>ser <\/strong><strong>tal<\/strong><strong> para cual<\/strong> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 to be two of a kind<\/p>\n<p><strong>estar para<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 to be about to<\/p>\n<p><strong>para entonces <\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 by that time<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00bfpara qu\u00e9 sirve?<\/strong> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 what is it good for?<\/p>\n<p><strong>para un fin<\/strong> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 for one purpose<\/p>\n<p><strong>para variar<\/strong> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 for a change<\/p>\n<p>Obviously, we can have some more examples I have forgotten, maybe you can think about them and write them in the comments. And now, can you translate these sentences into Spanish?<\/p>\n<p>1. We went through the forest.<\/p>\n<p>2. I bought a table for the living room.<\/p>\n<p>3. The tennis match was cancelled due to the rain.<\/p>\n<p>4. He looked out of the window.<\/p>\n<p>5. For what reason do you study Spanish?<\/p>\n<p>6. What do you want it for?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>If you are really interested in <em><strong>learning Spanish<\/strong><\/em>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.transparent.com\/learn-spanish\/\" target=\"_blank\">here <\/a>you will find some more resources!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As we know, simple rules for a native speaker can be quite confusing when we are learning a foreign language. Some days ago I read somebody asking the difference between these two Spanish prepositions Por and Para. As you know, both words mean for in English, so the best way to differentiate between them is&hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"post-item__readmore\"><a class=\"btn btn--md\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/spanish\/para-y-por\/\">Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":47,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[61202,6,13],"tags":[125,358365],"class_list":["post-5338","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-learning-2","category-grammar","category-vocabulary","tag-prepositions","tag-grammar"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/spanish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5338","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/spanish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/spanish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/spanish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/47"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/spanish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5338"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/spanish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5338\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5348,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/spanish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5338\/revisions\/5348"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/spanish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5338"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/spanish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5338"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/spanish\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5338"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}