Por vs ParaThese two words often cause a lot of confusion to learners of Spanish because they can often both be translated using the English word ‘for’.

And to m

And to make matters worse, depending on context, they can be translated with other phrases such as ’because of’, ‘in search of’, ‘in order to’ etc.

A tip for using ‘para’Use 'para' when the sentence lets you imagine yourself looking forwards towards a destination or a recipient.

Para for destinations and recipients

El lunes salimos para Guayaquil. On Monday we'll leave for Guayaquil.

Este regalo es para Miguel. This present is for Miguel.

A tip for using ‘por’

Use 'por' when the sentence requires that you look back to the past for a reason, motive or explanation or when it

expresses the duration of an event.

Por for reasons and time periods

Estoy haciendo este trabajo por mi mamá porque ella está enferma.

I'm doing this job for my Mum

because she's sick.

Él se quedó en la isla por seis meses.

He stayed on the island for 6 months.

So which would you choose?

Por or Para?

The flowers are for you.Los flores son ______ ti.

Para

We were talking about a recipient so hopefully you chose para.

The flowers are for you.Los flores son para ti.

Now what about this one?

I gave them flowers for their first anniversary.

Les di flores _____ su primer aniversario.

Por for reasons, motivation etc

In this case the anniversary is not the recipient, but it is the reason or the

motivation, so it takes por.

How about this one?

Corrí ____ dos horas.

I ran for two hours.

I’m not mentioning any destination or recipient here but I am referring to a duration of time so once again it takes por.

Corrí por dos horas.

I ran for two hours.

That’s just the beginning!

Now you have a good place to start, with getting a handle on ‘por’ and ‘para’, but I'm

sure you know by now there's a bit more to it than that.

So let’s note some uses of ‘por’ and ‘para’ and then we’ll have some practice.

POR = for (motive); because of, in search of

Voy a casarme por amor.I’m going to get married for love.

Necesitamos ir a la tienda por mantequilla.We need to go to the shop for butter.

POR = for (in place of, on behalf of)

Ayer trabajé por María porque ella se enfermó.

Yesterday I worked for María because she got sick.

POR = for, in exchange for Pagué cinco dólares por este vestido.

I paid $5 for this dress.

Gracias por tu ayuda.Thank you for your help.

¿Cien dólares por eso?

A hundred dollars for that?

POR = by (mode of transportation)

Viajaremos a Mexico por avión.We will travel to Mexico by plane.

POR = for (duration of time)

Viví en Ecuador por seis meses.I lived in Ecuador for six months

POR = during, in

Leo por la tarde.I read in the afternoon.

POR = because of Estoy triste por la injusticia.

I’m sad because of the injustice.

No fui a clase ayer por estar cansada.

I didn’t go to class yesterday because I was tired.

POR = for (to feel emotion for someone)

Siento amor por mi abuela.I love my grandma.

(Lit. I feel love for …. which is another option for ‘la amo a mi abuela’)

POR = around, near, by (location)

Me gustaría viajar por Sud America.I would like to travel around South America.

POR = through, along El escapó por la ventana.

He escaped through the window.

Por el río.

Along the river.

POR = by (when referring to the agent in the passive voice)

Este libro fue escrito por Cervantes. This book was written by Cervantes.

(NB: The active voice would be ‘Cervantes wrote the book’.)

POR = for, (for the good of), for the sake of

Él hizo mucho por los afligidos. He did much for (the sake of)

the afflicted ones.

POR = for/per (with frequency, proportion, velocity)

120 milas por hora.120 miles per hour.

Now on to ‘PARA’

PARA = ‘for’ a purpose; in order to

Comemos para vivir.We eat (in order) to live.

Estudia para abogada.She’s studying to be a lawyer.

PARA = for/by (when the deadline date/time is stated)

Tengo que terminar este trabajo para manana.I have to finish this job by tomorrow.

Él necesita terminar el trabajo para el próximo lunes.He needs to finish the work by next Monday.

Tengo una cita para martes.I have an appointment for Tuesday.

PARA = for (with comparisons or contrasts different to what is expected)

Es alto para su edad.He’s tall for his age.

Para estudiantes principiantes ya hablamos español bastante bien.

For beginner students we already speak Spanish quite well.

Este vestido es demasiado pequeño para mi.This dress is too small for me.

PARA = for (intended use)

Crema para el sol. Sun cream.

PARA = for (intended for, recipient)

Una carta para mi mamá.A letter for my mum.

PARA = for (in the employment of)

Trabajo para ‘el hombre’.I work for the man.

PARA = for, toward, in the direction of, destinations

Salieron para Mexico.They left for Mexico.

When ‘por’ and ‘para’ are used with the verb ‘estar’ followed by an infinitive they often

create idioms.

Estar + para + inf (Spain)Estar + por + inf (Latin America)

= about to, to be on the point of, on the verge of

El bús está para salir.The bus is about to leave.

Estar + por + inf (when the subject is a thing)

= yet to be (done), pending

Las tareas están por hacer.The chores still need doing. (are yet to be done)

Tengo un montón de ropa por planchar.(as opposed to purpose or use - La plancha es para planchar.)

Estar + por = to be in favour of someone or something

Estamos por blanco. We’re into white. (Lit. We’re in favour of white.)

Estar + por (when the subject is a person) = temptation & intention

Eg. to have a (good) mind to, to feel like, to fancy, to be in favour of, to be in the mood to,

Estoy por romperle la cabeza. Estoy por bailar.

I have a good mind to knock your block off. I feel like dancing. (very impolite and one I’m sure you’d never use)

MEANINGS CAN BE REGIONALAlthough ‘estar + para’ usually means ‘to be about to’, in some countries it can mean ‘to be in the mood to’,

especially when used negatively.

Eg. No estoy para hablar contigo. I’m not in the mood to talk to you.

Some suggest that when ‘estar + para’ is used with this meaning, some words are omitted but understood.

Eg. No estoy para las bromas. I’m not in the mood for jokes. No estoy (en el humor) para las bromas.

The same is true of ‘estar por’. Although it usually means ‘to be in the mood to’, in some countries it is used to mean ‘to be about to’

(both uses are accepted by RAE*).

Está por llover. It’s about to rain.

You could also say … Está a punto de llover.

*The Real Academia Española (English: Royal Spanish Academy), is the official royal institution responsible for overseeing the Spanish language. See point 9.

Confused?Although this can be confusing the best thing to do is to learn the most common

meanings first …

Estar + para = to be just about to (Spain)Estar + por = to be just about to (Latin America)

Estar + por = temptations and intentions, to have a mind to, to be in the mood topor + inf = yet to be (done), pending

then when you’re in a Spanish speaking country just imitate how the native speakers use the saying.

Por vs Para Exercise: Fill the gap with por or para and why not try to translate the whole sentence?

1. __ ser una niña tan pequeña es muy inteligente, ya sabe leer. (comparison)2. Vivo ______ el parque. (by)

3. Siento cariño _____ él, aunque sea una persona tan difícil. (emotion)4. La carta es _____ Carlos, así que no la abras. (recipient)

5. ¡Muévete un poco más _____ abajo! (Move down a bit!)6. ¿Cuántos archivos hacen falta ____ terminar? 7. Hago ejercicios _____ quitar kilos. (in order to)

8. En esta tienda el tomate se vende sólo ____ kilo. (by the/per)9. ¿_____ cuándo es el examen?

10. La leche está ____ hervir. (about to boil)11. Estoy _____ bajar al piso de abajo y decirles que quiten la música.

(I have a good mind to …) 12. Está ____ llover. (It’s about to rain)

Por vs Para Answers: 1. para - with comparisons or contrasts different to what is expected 2. por - around, near, by 3. por - to feel emotion for someone 4. para – recipient 5. para - for, toward, in the direction of 6. por - estar + por + infinitive = 'yet to be' 7. para - with intentions or purposes; in order to 8. por - with frequency, proportion, velocity and to mean 'per' 9. para - with deadlines; for, by 10. para - estar + para + inf = about to, to be on the point of, on the verge of 11. por - estar + por - to indicate your intention to do something, to feel like,

to be in the mood to12. por (Lat.Am) or para (Esp.) – either works here depending on where you are

Translation Answers: 1.Para ser una niña tan pequeña es muy inteligente, ya sabe leer. For such a little (young) girl she's very intelligent, she already knows how to read.

2. Vivo por el parque. I live by/near the park.

3. Siento cariño por él, aunque sea una persona tan difícil. I feel affection for him even though is such a difficult person,

4. La carta es para Carlos, así que no la abras. The letter is for Carlos, so don't open it.

5. ¡Muévete un poco más para abajo! Move down a bit.

6. ¿Cuántos archivos hacen falta por terminar? How many files are left to finish.

7. Hago ejercicios para quitar kilos. I exercise in order to lose weight.

8. En esta tienda el tomate se vende sólo por kilo. In this shop they sell tomatoes only by the kilo.

9. ¿Para cuándo es el examen? When is the exam?

10. La leche está para hervir. The milk is about to boil.

11. Estoy por bajar al piso de abajo y decirles que quiten la música. I have a good mind to down and tell them to turn the music off.

12. Está por/para llover. It’s about to rain.

If you learn well by listening you can listen to the content of this lesson at the link given below.

http://learnenglishspanishonline.webs.com/apps/podcast/podcast/205249