Download “Por” vs “Para”

Mr. Rodríguez
Spanish III
“Por” vs “Para”
Both spanish prepositions, “por” and “para” have the same English translation.
Therefore, it is important to be able to distinguish between the uses of both prepositions
in order to convey the right message. The best way to do this is to remember what each
preposition is used for. Here is a summary of the uses:
Por
1. Passing through
2. General location
3. How long something lasts
4. The cause of something
5. An exchange
6. Doing something in place of another
7. Transportation
Para
1. For whom something is done
2. Destination
3. Purpose for which something is done
4. Opinion
5. To compare / contrast
6. Deadline
There are times when both prepositions are grammatically correct, but the message
might be different depending on the preposition used. What is the meaning of the
following sentences when using “por” or “para”.
Por 
Para 
Nosotros vamos ________ Madrid.
Por
Para 
Estudio mucho ______ ser doctor.
Por 
Para 
La fiesta es _______ ella.
Por 
Para 
Yo juego al fútbol ______ mi tío.
Por 
Para 
1. El agua va ______ el canal.
2.
3.
4.
5.
There are some instances where the meaning is very similar. For example, the
cause of something or the purpose for which something is done. One way to look at this
distinction is that the purpose for which something is done requires an action to take
place afterwards. Actions are indicated by verbs, therefore, in most instances, but not
always, the preposition “para” will be followed by a verb.
Ejemplo: Me puse las gafas para ver mejor.
Tengo que estudiar más para llegar a Doctor.
When thinking of “por” as an means of transportation, take into consideration that
this means of transportation doe not include just humans and excludes everything else.
For example, the waterpipe is a means of trasportation for water to get from one place to
another. Also, the radio or tv is a means of transportation for news to get to us.