Por vs. para: When to use each
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The words por and para provide a challenge to Spanish learners because they can both translate to “for” in English. To add to the confusion, they can also have the same meaning as other English prepositions like “by” or “to.” Plus, they pop up in a host of common expressions that anyone learning Spanish needs to know.
To help clear up the confusion, this post explains the difference between por and para in detail and gives examples of when to use each.
What’s the difference between por and para?
Por and para are Spanish prepositions similar to “for” and other prepositions in English.
For example, por can mean:
- For
- Because of
- In
- By
- Around
- Through
- Along
Para can mean:
- For
- To
- In order to
- By
One way to think about these two prepositions is in terms of vague (por) or direct (para). For example, you might walk around the park (caminar por el parque) but you could also go to the park (ir para el parque).
However, this isn’t a hard-and-fast rule. While guidelines can be helpful, Spanish grammar doesn’t have a simple framework to translate por and para into English. The two words encompass many different translations and how to use them depends greatly on context and convention.
When to use por
Below are some examples of the many uses of por. Note that por is more vague than para, often implying a process instead of a destination.
Situation | Example | Translation |
Motivation or reason for an action | The plane arrived late because of the rain. | El avión llegó tarde por la lluvia. |
Duration and time | I’m going out for a few hours. | Voy a salir por unas horas. |
Costs and prices | Gas costs $4.50 per gallon. | La gasolina cuesta $4.50 por galón. |
Location and movement | We walked through downtown. | Caminamos por el centro. |
Mode of travel or communication | I talked to him on the phone. | Hablé con él por teléfono. |
Show who’s doing the action in the passive voice | The letter was written by a lawyer. | La carta fue escrita por una abogada. |
Motivation or reason for an action
Por can be used to express why something is done – the motive, cause, or reason for an action. This is similar to the English prepositions “for,” “because of,” or “due to.” For example:
- I am going to the supermarket for bread. Voy al supermercado por pan.
- We can’t leave now because of the traffic. No podemos ir ahora por el traffico.
- I started exercising for my health. Empecé a hacer ejercicio por mi salud.
A helpful way to remember this use is by asking a question about why something is happening. For example, ask yourself, “Why am I going to the store?” If “for something” or “for a specific reason” is the answer, then use por.
Duration and time
Por can be used to show approximate time or duration or events that happen regularly on a schedule. For example:
- He prefers not to go out at night. El prefiere no salir por la noche.
- She’s going to Panama for three weeks. Ella va a Panamá por tres semanas.
- I go to the gym in the morning. Voy al gimnasio por la mañana.
To remember this meaning of the word, ask yourself a question about duration. For example, “How long are you going to work?” If “for” a timeframe is the answer, use por.
Costs and prices
Por can be used for the costs and prices of goods and services and to show a rate, an exchange, or a substitution.
- I bought the car for $5,000. Compré el auto por $5,000.
- Broccoli costs $2 per (for a) pound. Bróccoli cuesta $2 por libra.
- I was driving 50 miles per (for an) hour. Yo manejaba 50 millas por hora.
To understand this meaning, ask a question such as “how much?” or “how fast?” If the answer is a price or rate, the correct preposition to use is probably por.
Location and movement
Por can be used to indicate a general location or to show passing through a place, much like “around” or “by” in English.
- Sara lives around here. Sara vive por aquí.
- Let’s walk through the garden. Caminemos por el jardín.
- I need to stop by the store on the way. Necesito pasar por la tienda en el camino.
If you ask something about a movement or location and the answer is by, through, or around a place, the correct word to use is probably por.
Mode of travel or communication
Por can be used similarly to “by” to show a method of travel or communication.
- I communicated with him by email. Me comuniqué con él por correo electrónico.
- The boxes arrived by ship. Las cajas llegaron por barco.
- She sent me the book by mail. Ella me envió el libro por correo.
If you ask how something was communicated or conveyed and the answer is “by” or “via” something, the correct word to use is likely por.
Show who’s doing the action in the passive voice
Por can be used like “by” in English to highlight the person or thing doing the action when using the passive voice. In passive voice, what you traditionally think of as the subject – the one doing the action – does not appear before the verb.
- The child was saved by a policewoman. El niño fue salvado por una policía.
- The game was won by Argentina. El juego fue ganado por Argentina.
- The house was destroyed by a storm. La casa fue destruida por un tornado.
To understand this usage, ask yourself who or what did the action to the person or thing in the beginning of the sentence. For example, if the question is “by what” or “by whom,” the correct word choice is likely por.
When to use para
In general, the uses of para are more direct and definitive than por, and the word often implies a clear destination, recipient, deadline, or purpose. The following summarizes the general categories in which para is often used.
Situation | Example | Translation |
Destination | I am going home/to my house. | Me voy para mi casa. |
Goals | She changed jobs to make more money. | Cambió de trabajo para ganar más dinero. |
Recipients | This gift is for Sam. | Este regalo es para Sam. |
Deadlines | I need it by/for Tuesday. | Lo necesito para el jueves. |
Expressing an opinion | For me (in my opinion), Peruvian food is the best. | Para mi el mejor comida es peruana. |
Expressing a disparate idea | It’s a very cold day for summer. | Es un día muy frío para el verano. |
Destination
Para can be used to talk about the destination or place someone or something is heading or going toward. Note that unlike por, para indicates that you’re going to a specific place, not through or near one.
- This plane is going to Chile. Este avión va para Chile.
- She’s headed to school. Ella se va para la escuela.
- We’re going to the mountains on Friday. Nos vamos para las montañas el viernes.
Goals
Para can also be used to discuss a purpose, goal, or objective. Although this sounds similar to the “motivation or reason” when using por, para always takes an infinitive verb (“to” + verb) afterwards.
- He went to college to get a better job. Fue a la universidad para conseguir un mejor trabajo.
- She goes to yoga to improve her flexibility. Ella hace yoga para mejorar su flexibilidad.
- We moved to another country to have a better life. Nos mudamos a otro país para tener una vida mejor.
Recipients
Para can be used to indicate the recipient of an action or an object. This also shows how para is more direct than por because there is a clear recipient or end point.
- I bought this mug for you. Compré esta taza para ti.
- The new desk is for the office. El nuevo escritorio es para la oficina.
- That letter is for my best friend. Esa carta es para mi mejor amiga.
Deadlines
Para can also show a deadline or time limit. English speakers often express this by using the preposition “by.”
- My boss wants this by today. Mi jefe quiere esto para hoy.
- Can you have this project ready by Monday? ¿Puedes tener este proyecto listo para el lunes?
Expressing an opinion
You can use para to express an opinion, similar to “for me” or “to me.”
- Watching tennis is very interesting to me. Ver tenis es muy interesante para mí.
- For me, Spain is one of the best countries to visit. Para mí, España es uno de los mejores países para visitar.
- Having friends is important for everyone. Tener amigos es importante para todos.
Expressing a disparate idea
You can use para to juxtapose two opposing ideas in a sentence to highlight something noteworthy or to draw a comparison against an expectation.
- The price is very expensive for such a small apartment. El precio es muy caro para un apartamento tan pequeño.
- He’s very strong for being such a small dog. Es muy fuerte para ser un perro tan pequeno.
- For how cheap the restaurant is, the food is really good. Para lo barato que es el restaurante, la comida es realmente buena.
Common expressions and idioms
The tips above provide a helpful guideline for using por and para, but the rules are not fixed. You may see por and para used in other ways that don’t necessarily follow the implied rule of going through a process versus focusing on the end point of a process.
The following are common expressions for both por and para. In these cases, you may find it simpler to just memorize them rather than trying to understand the logic behind their application. The more you hear and speak Spanish, the easier these will become. Once you’ve repeated “gracias por . . .” enough times, for example, you’ll never have to think about it again.
Expressions that use para
- Estar para: To be about to
- Para entonces: By that time
- Para que: So that, in order that
- Para siempre: Forever
- Para variar: For a change
Expressions that use por
- Día por día: Day by day (or paso por paso: step by step)
- Gracias por: Thanks for
- Por ahora: For now
- Por casualidad: By luck or by chance
- Por Dios: For heaven’s sake (or OMG)
- Por eso: Therefore, that’s why
- Por ejemplo: For example
- Por favor: Please
- Por fin: Finally
- Por lo menos: At least
- Por suerte: Luckily
- Por supuesto: Of course
Por and para also appear in a few idioms, which you may also want to remember – if only for fun.
- Dar gato por liebre: To take someone for a ride (literally, to give a cat for a hare)
- Ser tal para cual: To be two of a kind (literally, to be such for which)
- Decirlo de labios para fuera: To say something you didn’t mean (literally, to say it from the lips outward)
- Tirar la casa por la ventana: To spare no expense (literally, to throw the house out of the window)
Practice exercise
Think you’re starting to get a hang of it? Let’s see! Fill in the blanks with por or para based on what you learned here.
- Va a estar de vacaciones ____ dos semanas. (por)
- Necesito terminar esta tarea ____ el lunes. (para)
- El baño está ____ aqui. (por)
- Gracias ____ el regalo. ¡Me gusta mucho! (por)
- _____ mi el mejor instrumento es la guitarra. (para)
- No podemos hacer más ____ ahora. (por)
- Camino todos los dias ____ ponerme en forma. (para)
- Se va ____ Chile ____ dos años. (para/por)
- Vamos al supermercado _____ comprar comida mañana ____ la tarde. (para/por)
- Voy a comunicarme _____ fax _____ informarles rápidamente. (por/para)
Speak Spanish like a native speaker
Although por and para are basic Spanish words, using them properly requires a lot of practice. One of the reasons they trip up language learners is that they often mean the same thing in English, just like ser and estar.
While you can study some simple guidelines for proper usage, practicing with Spanish lessons online is the best way to get it right. For example, language learning with a Preply tutor can help you do the following:
- Explain the grammatical rules and answer your questions
- Show you the meaning of these words with examples that apply directly to your life
- Help improve your pronunciation
- Teach you expressions, idioms, and slang that native speakers actually use
- Use por and para like a native speaker!
Start your language learning journey today by signing up for an online tutoring session!
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