When to use POR and PARA
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The prepositions por and para cause a lot of confusion to Spanish students since the literal English translation for both of them is "for."
Use for POR:
1. Expressing movement along, through, around, by or about:
- Yo camino por la calles.
- I walk through the streets.
- Yo corro por el parque (correr= to run)
- I run through the park
Use for PARA:
Destination (as a place or a person), Meaning to or in the direction of when referring to a specific place:
- Yo voy para Nueva York.
- I am going to New York.
- Yo salgo para Madrid
- I am heading to Madrid.
It can be confusing but let's practice a little bit more:
- Él corre por Central Park cada mañana. (Through/along)
- Él va para su trabajo (Destination, he is going to his work)
- Ella viaja por Europa (Through/along, she is traveling around Europe)
- Ella sale para Europa (Destination, she is leaving for Europe)
I hope this will help a little bit to clarify por and para use related to location. There are many many other uses that I will post later.
Students, please do not hesitate to ask any questions!
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Gracias! Me ayuda mucho. Y con el dinero, se usa por, verdad? Compre eso por diez dolares. (Sorry... I can't type accents in here.)
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¡Hola UpstateLangFan!
Yep! you are right.
There are many other uses for "por", let's see some including value and money related sentences.
For money (value) related sentences
- Compré eso por diez dólares
- I bought that for ten dollars.
- Vendí mi coche por dos mil dólares
- I sold my car for 2000 dollars.
To express duration of the action:
- Corro por una hora
- I run for an hour
- Siempre espero por 30 minutos.
- I always wait for 30 minutes
- Ellos estuvieron juntos por muchos años
- They were together for many years.
Per
- Yo trabajo cuarenta (40) horas por semana.
- I work forty hours per week
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Muchas gracias, Anna.
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¡De nada Uwe!
¿Alguien quiere resolver el siguiente ejercicio?
¿Por o Para?
- Esperé a la profesora ____ una hora (esperé = I waited / esperar = to wait)
- Ahora salgo ____ el museo (salgo = I leave / salir = to leave)
- Cuando estoy nervioso, camino ____ mi casa (camino = I walk / caminar = to walk)
- Pago 3 dólares ____ un café (pago = I pay / pagar = to pay)
- Yo voy ____ mi trabajo (voy = I go / ir = to go)
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I'll give it a shot.
-Esperé a la profesora por una hora (esperé = I waited / esperar = to wait)
- Ahora salgo para el museo (salgo = I leave / salir = to leave)
- Cuando estoy nervioso, camino por mi casa (camino = I walk / caminar = to walk)
- Pago 3 dólares por un café (pago = I pay / pagar = to pay)
- Yo voy para mi trabajo (voy = I go / ir = to go)
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Hola! Todas las respuestas son correctas!
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More uses for PARA.
1.a. Para could express a deadline or specific time:
- I need the dress for tomorrow.
- Necesito el vestido para mañana
- I want the report in my desk for tomorrow at 8am
- Quiero el informe en mi mesa para mañana a las 8 de la mañana.
1.b. Following the same example for deadlines, "estar ... para" can be used to express an action that will soon be completed:
- The dress will be ready for tomorrow
- El vestido estará listo para mañana.
- Estará terminado para el viernes.
- It will be finished for Friday.
- ¡Esto es para hoy!
- This is done (for) today!
Please don't get upset if it is difficult to learn when to use por and para. The differences between them sometimes are subtle.
¿Alguien puede darme unos ejemplos para mañana?
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Other uses for POR expressing length in time:
- Yo lo intento por horas y horas.
- I try for hours and hours.
- Estuve en la tienda por cinco horas.
- I was in the store for 5 hours.
- Estuvieron juntos por muchos muchos años
- They were together for many many years.Please post your questions! We are happy to help!
