Para vs Por Flashcards
To express time or deadline: “Necesito el vestido _____ el lunes.”
“Necesito el vestido para el lunes.” (“I need the dress by Monday.”)
To indicate destination: “El hombre salió _____ Madrid.”
“El hombre salió para Madrid.” (“The man left for Madrid.”)
To mean ‘in order to’ or ‘for the purpose of’: “_____ hacer una paella primero dore las carnes.”
“Para hacer una paella primero dore las carnes.” (“To make a paella, first sauté the meats.”)
To indicate a recipient: “Esta regalo es _____ ti.”
“Esta regalo es para ti.” (“This gift is for you.”)
To express a contrast from what is expected: “_____ un nińo, lee muy bien.”
“Para un nińo, lee muy bien.” (“For a child, he reads very well.”)
To show the use or purpose of a thing: “El vaso es _____ agua.”
“El vaso es para agua.” (“This glass is for water.”)
To express an action that will soon be complete: “The train is about to leave.”
“Estar para”:
“El tren esta para salir.” (“The train is about to leave.”)
To be in the mood for something: “I’m in the mood for drinking coffee.”
“Estar por”:
“Estoy por tomar cafe.” (“I’m in the mood for drinking coffee.”
To express caution or reason: “El hombre murió _____ falta de aqua.”
“El hombre murió por falta de aqua.” (“The man died for lack of water.”
For multiplication and division: “Dos _____ dos son cuatro.”
“Dos por dos son cuatro.” (“Two times two equals four.”)
When talking about exchange, including sales: “Él me dio diez dólares _____ el libro.”
“Él me dio diez dólares por el libro.” (“He gave me ten dollars for the book.”)
To express gratitude or apology: “Gracias _____ la ayuda.”
“Gracias por la ayuda.” (“Thanks for the help.”)
For velocity, frequency and proportion: “Voy al restaurante cinco veces _____ semana.”
“Voy al restaurante cinco veces por semana.” (“I go to the restaurant five times per week.”)
To express a length of time: “Yo estudié _____ dos horas.”
“Yo estudié por dos horas.” (“I studied for two hours.”)
Meaning ‘through’, ‘along’, ‘by’, or ‘in the area of’: “Andamos _____ el parque.”
“Andamos por el parque.” (“We walk through the park.”)
In cases of mistaken identity, or meaning ‘to be seen as’: “Me tienen _____ loco.”
“Me tienen por loco.” (“They take me for crazy.”)
To show the reason for an errand (with ir, venir, pasar, mandar, volver, and preguntar): “Paso _____ ti a las ocho.”
“Paso por ti a las ocho.” (“I’ll come by for you at eight.”)
To mean ‘on behalf of’ or ‘in favour of’: “No voté _____ nadie.”
“No voté por nadie.” (“I didn’t vote for anyone.”)
For means of communication or transportation: “Prefiero viajar _____ tren y hablar _____ teléfono.”
“Prefiero viajar por tren y hablar por teléfono.” (“I prefer to travel by train and speak by phone.”)
In passive constructions: “El libro fue escrito _____ Octavio Paz.”
“El libro fue escrito por Octavia Paz.” (“The book was written by Octavio Paz.”)
To express an undetermined or general time, meaning ‘during’: “Se puede ver las estrellas _____ la noche.”
“Se puede ver las estrellas por la noche.” (“He can see the stars during the night.”)
When followed by an infinitive to express an action that remains to be completed: “La cena esta _____ cocinar.”
“La cena esta por cocinar.” (“The dinner is yet to be cooked.”)
