Por and para (Edexcel GCSE Spanish): Revision Notes
Por and para
Understanding the difference
Por and para are two Spanish prepositions that often cause confusion for English speakers. Both can sometimes translate to "for" in English, but they have distinct uses and meanings. Learning when to use each one is essential for accurate Spanish communication.
The key to mastering these prepositions lies in understanding their fundamental difference: por typically looks backwards (causes, completed actions) while para looks forwards (purposes, destinations, future deadlines).
When to use por
Por typically relates to causes, exchanges, movement through spaces, and completed or ongoing actions. Here are the main situations where you should use por:
Exchange and payment
Use por when talking about what you pay or exchange for something.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Pagué cien euros por el vuelo | I paid €100 for the flight |
| Cambié mi coche por una moto | I exchanged my car for a motorbike |
| ¿Cuánto pagaste por esa camisa? | How much did you pay for that shirt? |
| Vendí mi bicicleta por cincuenta euros | I sold my bicycle for fifty euros |
Ejemplo práctico: Intercambio y pago
- Compré este libro por diez euros. (I bought this book for ten euros.)
- Mi hermano cambió sus cartas por un videojuego. (My brother swapped his cards for a video game.)
Cause and reason
When explaining why something happened, use por.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| El avión salió tarde por la lluvia | The plane left late because of the rain |
| Llegué tarde por el tráfico | I arrived late because of the traffic |
| No pude salir por la tormenta | I couldn't go out because of the storm |
| Cancelaron el partido por mal tiempo | They cancelled the match because of bad weather |
Ejemplo práctico: Causa y razón
- Estoy cansado por el trabajo. (I'm tired because of work.)
- La tienda está cerrada por vacaciones. (The shop is closed because of holidays.)
Acting on behalf of someone
Use por when doing something for or instead of another person.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Lo hizo por mí | She did it for me |
| Habla por tu hermana | Speak for your sister |
| Firmé por mi padre | I signed for my father |
| Voté por mi candidato favorito | I voted for my favourite candidate |
Rates and measurements
Por is used when expressing rates, speeds, or frequencies.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Gano seis euros por hora | I earn €6 per hour |
| Vamos a ochenta kilómetros por hora | We're going at 80 kilometres per hour |
| Tres veces por semana | Three times per week |
| Diez por ciento | Ten per cent |
Means of communication
When describing how you communicate or travel, use por.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Me llamó por teléfono | He called me on the phone |
| Envié la carta por correo | I sent the letter by post |
| Hablamos por internet | We spoke via the internet |
| Viajamos por tren | We travelled by train |
Unspecified time periods
Use por for vague or general time periods.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Me quedaré en Buenos Aires por poco tiempo | I will stay in Buenos Aires for a short time |
| Trabajé por muchos años | I worked for many years |
| Estudió por la tarde | She studied in the afternoon |
| Por la noche veo televisión | At night I watch television |
When to use para
Para generally refers to purposes, destinations, and future deadlines. It's more forward-looking than por.
Purpose and intention
Use para when explaining the purpose of something or what it's intended for. This can often be translated as "in order to" in English.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Llevamos una botella de agua fría para el viaje | We're taking a bottle of cold water for the journey |
| Voy a utilizar mi tarjeta de crédito para pagar el hotel | I'm going to use my credit card to pay for the hotel |
| Estudio para el examen | I study for the exam |
| Esta medicina es para el dolor de cabeza | This medicine is for headaches |
Ejemplo práctico: Propósito e intención
- Compré flores para mi madre. (I bought flowers for my mother.)
- Necesito gafas para leer. (I need glasses for reading.)
Destination
When talking about where you're going or who you're going to see, use para.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Ha salido para Madrid | He has left for Madrid |
| Este regalo es para ti | This present is for you |
| Voy para casa | I'm going home |
| El tren para Londres sale a las tres | The train to London leaves at three |
Specific deadlines and future time
Use para when talking about specific future deadlines or time limits.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Quisiera una habitación para quince días | I would like a room for a fortnight |
| El proyecto es para mañana | The project is for tomorrow |
| Tengo una cita para las cinco | I have an appointment for five o'clock |
| Necesito el coche para el viernes | I need the car for Friday |
Ejemplo práctico: Fechas límite específicas
- Voy a comprar unos regalos para mi familia. (I'm going to buy some presents for my family.)
- La reunión es para las dos de la tarde. (The meeting is for two in the afternoon.)
Common set phrases with por
These fixed expressions always use por and should be memorised as complete units. They cannot be changed to para under any circumstances.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| por favour | please |
| por primera vez | for the first time |
| por aquí | over here, around here |
| por todas partes | everywhere |
| por la mañana | in the morning |
| por ciento | per cent |
| por ejemplo | for example |
| por supuesto | of course |
| por fin | finally |
| por lo menos | at least |
Memory tips for exams
Consejos clave para recordar:
- Por often relates to the past or present: causes, exchanges that have happened, ongoing actions
- Para is more future-oriented: destinations you're heading to, deadlines coming up, purposes you plan to achieve
- Try the substitution test: if you can replace the preposition with "in order to" in English, use para
- If you can replace it with "because of" or "by means of", use por
Practice tip
When revising, try writing out phrases using different coloured pens - one colour for por and another for para. This visual method helps your brain remember which preposition to use in different contexts.
Translation practice
Práctica de traducción
Spanish to English:
- Compré este coche por mi hermano.
- Salgo para el trabajo a las ocho.
English to Spanish:
- I'm studying for the exam.
- We travelled by bus.
Answers:
- I bought this car for my brother. / 2. I leave for work at eight o'clock.
- Estudio para el examen. / 2. Viajamos por autobús.
Remember!
Puntos esenciales para recordar:
- Por is used for exchanges, causes, rates, communication methods, and vague time periods
- Para is used for purposes, destinations, and specific future deadlines
- Many phrases with por are fixed expressionsthat must be memorised
- When in doubt, think about whether you're talking about a purpose/destination (para) or a cause/method (por)
- Practice with colour-coding to help visual memory during revision