A2 · Prepositions
por and para
por looks back at the reason, para forward at the goal.
At a glance
- Remember
- por asks «why», para asks «what for».
- Form
- Lo hice por miedo.por: reason
- Signal words
- por qué
- por eso
- por fin
- para qué
- para mí
- para el lunes
- Trap
- Wrong:Estudio por el examen de mañana.Right:Estudio para el examen de mañana.
Your turn
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Now write it yourself4 sentences on this topic, typed and checked instantly.
The form
The patterns at a glance
Each row first says when or what the pattern is used for, then gives an example in Spanish.
| por: reason | Lo hice por miedo. |
| por: route | Paseamos por el parque. |
| por: exchange, price | Lo compré por veinte euros. |
| por: rough time | por la tarde, por aquí |
| para: purpose | Estudio para aprobar. |
| para: recipient, deadline | Es para ti. / Para el lunes. |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is aboutThe word that calls for it
por names the reason or the cause.
Lo hice por ti.I did it for your sake.
para names the purpose or the recipient.
Este regalo es para ti.This present is for you.
por goes with route, price and approximate time.
Pasamos por Toledo por la mañana.We came through Toledo in the morning.
para goes with deadlines and with an opinion.
Para mí, es demasiado caro.For me, that is too expensive.
Example sentences
Gracias por tu ayuda.Thank you for your help.
Necesito el informe para el viernes.I need the report by Friday.
Fuimos a pie por el casco antiguo.We walked through the old town.
Estudio español para trabajar en España.I am learning Spanish in order to work in Spain.
6 more example sentences
Lo compré por diez euros.I bought it for ten euros.
Este tren pasa por Zaragoza.This train goes via Saragossa.
Salimos para el aeropuerto a las cinco.We are leaving for the airport at five.
No pude ir por el mal tiempo.I could not come because of the bad weather.
Trabaja para una empresa alemana.She works for a German company.
Te llamo por la tarde.I will ring you in the afternoon.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
For «I am studying for the exam» por gets picked, because English says «for». What is meant is the purpose, so it is para: Estudio para el examen. With por el examen it would mean «because of the exam» — also a sentence, just a different one.
The full explanation
Read it all · about 1 min
Both sometimes mean «for», and that is exactly why they get muddled. The difference is which way they look: por names the *reason, the cause, the route, the exchange — it looks back. para names the goal*, the purpose, the recipient, the deadline — it looks forward.
Lo hago por ti is «I am doing it because of you, for your sake». Lo hago para ti is «I am making it for you, you get it». Both are correct and say different things — English «for» hides the difference entirely.
Besides the reason, por also carries the place you go through (por la calle), an approximate time (por la mañana), the price (por diez euros) and the agent in a passive (por el autor).
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The verbs on this page, in every form: ser · hacer · pasar · necesitar · trabajar