Understanding the Differences Between Por and Para in Spanish

In this post we’ll look at the differences between the prepositions por and para in Spanish. Both of these are usually translated as for in English, but their uses and meanings are distinct. Let’s break them down with clear explanations and examples. First, we’ll see when to use por. Then we’ll look at when to use para. After that we’ll summarize some quick tips that you can use to help you remember the difference. Next we’ll look at a few common fixed expressions that use both. Finally, you’ll have a chance to practice using the two.

When to Use Por

First we’ll look at the preposition por. Por is used in several contexts, usually indicating a reason, cause, duration, or means of action. Here are the main uses:

Cause or Reason

Use por to express the reason behind an action or the motivation for something. In this sense, por is a lot like because of.

• Lo hice por ti.
  I did it for you. I did it because of you.
• Gracias por la ayuda.
  Thanks for the help. I’m thanking you because of your help.

Duration of Time

Use por to indicate how long something lasts.

• Estudié por dos horas.
  I studied for two hours.
• Vivieron en España por cinco años.
  They lived in Spain for five years.

Means of Communication or Transportation

Use por to describe how something is done. In this case, it’s usually translated as by in English.

• Te llamé por teléfono.
  I called you by phone.
• Viajamos por tren.
  We traveled by train.

Exchange or Substitution

Use por when referring to an exchange or substitution.

• Pagué $10 por el libro.
  I paid $10 for the book.
• Trabajó por su amigo hoy.
  He worked for his friend today.

Movement Through or Around a Place

Use por to express movement through, around, or along a place. You can usually translate this as through or by.

• Caminamos por el parque.
  We walked through the park.
• Pasaron por la tienda.
  They passed by the store.

When to Use Para

Now let’s look at the preposition para. Para is more goal-oriented and is used to express purpose, destination, deadlines, and recipients. Here are its main uses:

Purpose or Goal

Use para to indicate the purpose of an object or action.

• Este regalo es para ti.
  This gift is for you.
• Estudio para ser médico.
  I study to become a doctor.

Destination

Use para to indicate a destination or direction.

• Salimos para México mañana.
  We leave for Mexico tomorrow.
• Este autobús va para el centro.
  This bus is going to the city center.

Deadline or Specific Time

Use para to specify a deadline or point in time.

• La tarea es para mañana.
  The homework is for tomorrow.
• Necesito el informe para el viernes.
  I need the report by Friday.

Recipient

Use para to indicate who or what something is intended for.

• Esto es para mi madre.
  This is for my mother.
• Compré flores para mi esposa.
  I bought flowers for my wife.

Comparison or Opinion

Use para when expressing a comparison or an opinion.

• Para ser un niño, lee muy bien.
  For a child, he reads very well.
• Para mí, este lugar es perfecto.
  For me, this place is perfect.

Quick Tips to Remember

As you can see, simple translation from English won’t help you with por and para because they both can mean for. But if you abstract away from translation and imagine the type of relationship that’s being described, you can make some generalizations.

Journey or destination? Think of por as the journey (or means, motivation) and para as the destination (or recipient).

• Viajamos por tren. We traveled by train.
  (The train was literally the journey that got us to our destination.)
• Salgo para la estación de tren. I’m leaving for the train station.
  (Here the train station is the destination.)
• Lo hice por ti. I did it for you.
  (You were the motivation that made me do it.)
• El libro es para mi novia. The book is for my girlfriend.
  (My girlfriend is the recipient, so the destination where the book is going.)
• ¿Cuánto pagaste por el iPad? How much did you pay for the iPad?
  (The amount of money is the journey or means getting you to that iPad.)
• Necesito una funda para mi iPad. I need a cover for my iPad.
  (Here, the iPad is the destination, the recipient of the cover.)

What question is being answers? Por often answers why or how, while para answers for what or where to.

• Hice una reserva por la aplicación. I made a reservation by/through the app.
  (Por is answering how I made the reservation.)
• Tenemos que salir para las ocho. We have to leave by 8:00.
  (8:00 is the time that we’re moving toward, before which we have to leave.)
• Lo hizo por accidente. She did it by accident.
  (Por is answering the question how or why she did it.)
• ¿Tienes un regalo para mí? You have a gift for me?
  (I am the recipient or destination of the gift.)

As always, practice makes perfect! Use these examples and create your own sentences to internalize the differences. And when you come across an example in Spanish, think about it in terms of these points and ask yourself why por or para is being used.

Common Expressions with Por and Para

Now let’s look at some common expressions that use either por or para. Some of these phrases are very common in Spanish, so you should repeat them to yourself to get used to the correct preposition.

Expressions with Por

por qué: why

• ¿Por qué llegaste tarde?
  Why did you arrive late?

por favor: please

• ¿Me pasas la sal, por favor?
  Can you pass me the salt, please?

por eso: that’s why / therefore

• Estaba lloviendo, por eso no salí.
  It was raining, that’s why I didn’t go out.

por ejemplo: for example

• Me gustan los deportes, por ejemplo, el fútbol.
  I like sports, for example, soccer.

por ahora: for now

• Por ahora, no tengo tiempo.
  For now, I don’t have time.

por allí / por allá: around there / over there

• Creo que está por allí.
  I think it’s over there.

por supuesto: of course

• ¿Puedo usar tu teléfono? – Por supuesto.
  Can I use your phone? – Of course.

por cierto: by the way

• Por cierto, ¿has visto mi libro?
  By the way, have you seen my book?

por desgracia: unfortunately

• Por desgracia, no pudimos asistir.
  Unfortunately, we couldn’t attend.

por fin: finally

• Por fin terminaron la construcción.
  They finally finished the construction.

por lo general: in general / generally

• Por lo general, me levanto temprano.
  Generally, I wake up early.

por lo menos: at least

• Por lo menos, intenta terminar el trabajo.
  At least try to finish the work.

por lo tanto: therefore

• No estudió, por lo tanto, reprobó el examen.
  He didn’t study; therefore, he failed the exam.

por teléfono: by phone

• Hablamos por teléfono.
  We talked by phone.

por correo electrónico: by e-mail

• Envíame los documentos por correo electrónico.
  Send me the documents by e-mail.

por (mensaje de) texto: by text (message)

• Confirmé la cita por (mensaje de) texto.
  I confirmed the appointment by text (message).

por mi parte: as for me

• Por mi parte, estoy de acuerdo.
  As for me, I agree.

por si acaso: just in case

• Lleva un paraguas, por si acaso llueve.
  Take an umbrella, just in case it rains.

por último: lastly / finally

• Por último, revisa todo antes de enviar.
  Lastly, check everything before sending.

por todas partes: everywhere

• Hay basura por todas partes.
  There’s trash everywhere.

por amor de Dios: for God’s sake

• Por amor de Dios, escúchame.
  For God’s sake, listen to me.

Expressions with Para

para mí:  for me / in my opinion

• Para mí, este libro es el mejor.
  In my opinion, this book is the best.

para ti: for you

• Este regalo es para ti.
  This gift is for you.

para siempre: forever

• Te amaré para siempre.
  I will love you forever.

para variar: for a change

• Hoy vamos a comer afuera, para variar.
  Today we’re eating out, for a change.

para qué: for what / what for

• ¿Para qué necesitas esto?
  What do you need this for?

para adelante: forward

• Sigue para adelante y no mires atrás.
  Keep moving forward and don’t look back.

para atrás: backward

• No des pasos para atrás.
  Don’t take steps backward.

para tanto: so much / that much

• No es para tanto.
  It’s not that big of a deal.

para colmo: to top it all off

• Llegué tarde y, para colmo, olvidé las llaves.
  I arrived late and, to top it all off, I forgot the keys.

para nada: not at all

• No me molesta para nada.
  It doesn’t bother me at all.

para que: so that

• Estudia mucho para que pases el examen.
  Study hard so that you pass the exam.

para el caso: for that matter

• No me interesa, y para el caso, a nadie le importa.
  I’m not interested, and for that matter, no one else cares.

para entonces: by then

• Para entonces, ya habremos terminado.
  By then, we will have already finished.

para mañana: by tomorrow

• Necesito el informe para mañana.
  I need the report by tomorrow.

para hoy: for today

• Esto es todo lo que tenemos para hoy.
  This is all we have for today.

para qué más: what else

• Este trabajo me da un buen sueldo, ¿para qué más?
  This job gives me a good salary; what else do I need?

para bien o para mal: for better or worse

• Para bien o para mal, tomé esa decisión.
  For better or worse, I made that decision.

para arriba: upwards

• Mira para arriba y verás el arcoíris.
  Look up and you’ll see the rainbow.

para abajo: downwards

• El ascensor va para abajo.
  The elevator is going down.

para qué tanto: why so much

• ¿Para qué tanto alboroto?
  Why all the fuss?

para siempre jamás: forever and ever

• Estaremos juntos para siempre jamás.
  We will be together forever and ever.

para lo que sea: for whatever it takes

• Estoy aquí para lo que sea.
  I’m here for whatever it takes.

para otro día: for another day

• Dejemos este asunto para otro día.
  Let’s leave this matter for another day.

para emepzar/terminar: to to start with/finish

• Para empezar/terminar, quiero agradecerles por su tiempo.
  To start with/finish, I want to thank you for your time.

para qué estamos: what are we here for

• Si no es para ayudarnos, ¿para qué estamos?
  If not to help each other, what are we here for?

Practice

Finally, let’s see how well you’ve digested all of that. Fill in each blank with por or para, and translate. You’ll find the answers below.

1. Caminamos ___ el parque todos los días.
2. Este regalo es ___ ti.
3. Lo hago ___ mi familia.
4. Gracias ___ tu ayuda.
5. Salimos ___ Madrid mañana.
6. Este libro fue escrito ___ un autor famoso.
7. Estudio español ___ trabajar en España.
8. Pagué veinte dólares ___ esta camisa.
9. ¿Hay un banco ___ aquí?
10. Te cambio mi bicicleta ___ tu patineta.
11. La tarea es ___ el lunes.
12. Me quedé en casa ___ el mal tiempo.
13. Compré flores ___ mi madre.
14. ___ ser tan joven, es muy maduro.
15. Hablamos ___ teléfono ayer.
16. Esta carta es ___ mi amigo en Chile.
17. Vamos a estar en la ciudad ___ tres días.
18. No pude ir ___ estar enfermo.
19. Este medicamento es ___ aliviar el dolor.
20. Ellos votaron ___ el candidato más popular.
21. La reunión fue cancelada ___ la lluvia.
22. Estoy aquí ___ ti.
23. Ella trabaja ___ una empresa internacional.
24. Voy ___ el médico a las tres de la tarde.
25. Este puente fue construido ___ ingenieros expertos.

Answers

1. Caminamos por el parque todos los días. (We walk through the park every day.)
2. Este regalo es para ti. (This gift is for you.)
3. Lo hago por mi familia. (I do it for my family.)
4. Gracias por tu ayuda. (Thank you for your help.)
5. Salimos para Madrid mañana. (We’re leaving for Madrid tomorrow.)
6. Este libro fue escrito por un autor famoso. (This book was written by a famous author.)
7. Estudio español para trabajar en España. (I study Spanish to work in Spain.)
8. Pagué veinte dólares por esta camisa. (I paid twenty dollars for this shirt.)
9. ¿Hay un banco por aquí? (Is there a bank around here?)
10. Te cambio mi bicicleta por tu patineta. (I’ll trade you my bike for your skateboard.)
11. La tarea es para el lunes. (The homework is for Monday.)
12. Me quedé en casa por el mal tiempo. (I stayed home because of the bad weather.)
13. Compré flores para mi madre. (I bought flowers for my mother.)
14. Por ser tan joven, es muy maduro. (For being so young, he’s very mature.)
15. Hablamos por teléfono ayer. (We spoke on the phone yesterday.)
16. Esta carta es para mi amigo en Chile. (This letter is for my friend in Chile.)
17. Vamos a estar en la ciudad por tres días. (We’re going to be in the city for three days.)
18. No pude ir por estar enfermo. (I couldn’t go because I was sick.)
19. Este medicamento es para aliviar el dolor. (This medicine is to relieve pain.)
20. Ellos votaron por el candidato más popular. (They voted for the most popular candidate.)
21. La reunión fue cancelada por la lluvia. (The meeting was canceled because of the rain.)
22. Estoy aquí por ti. (I’m here because of you.)
23. Ella trabaja para una empresa internacional. (She works for an international company.)
24. Voy para el médico a las tres de la tarde. (I’m going to the doctor at three in the afternoon.)
25. Este puente fue construido por ingenieros expertos. (This bridge was built by expert engineers.)

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