Spanish I

Preposition: para

The reasons for using para can easily be remembered with the acronym PRODDS. Each word below represents one of the reasons, and they're all explained in detail in the following sections.

• Purpose
  
  
• Recipient
  
  
• Opinion
  
  
• Destination
  
  
• Deadline
  
  
• Standard

Purpose

Para is used with an infinitive to express the purpose of doing something. Sometimes in English, purpose is stated using the preposition “for.” The phrase “in order to” is sometimes used in front of an infinitive to indicate purpose, but in English it is not necessary to use anything at all in such expressions. In Spanish, the preposition para is required even if the English equivalent is understood rather than stated. The following examples show the use of para when the speaker is stating a purpose:

            Trabajamos para ganar dinero.
            We work to earn money.

             Viajo para entender otras culturas.
             I travel in order to understand other cultures.

             Coma las legumbres para la salud.
             Eat vegetables for health / to be healthy.

In some cases the English sentence will use the preposition “for” followed by a gerund. Remember that a verb that immediately follows a preposition will always be in its infinitive form in Spanish.

              Esta agua es para beber.
              This water is for drinking.

Recipient

The intended recipient of an object is indicated with the preposition para.

              Yo traje la comida para mi abuela.
              I brought the meal for my grandmother.

An exception to this rule is when you want to express the recipient of an emotion, which is done with por.

              Siento mucho amor por mi abuela.
              I feel much love for my grandmother.

Opinion

   Para is also used to indicate a personal opinion.    

               Para mí los derechos humanos son importantes.
               In my opinion, human rights are important.

               Las compañías grandes son importantes para el líder.
               The big companies are important to the leader.

Destination

Para is used to indicate the destination of something in a real, physical sense or in a figurative, metaphorical sense.

                   Las toallas son para el baño.
                  The towels are for the bathroom.

                   Salimos para las islas del Caribe mañana.
                   We leave for the Caribbean Islands tomorrow.

Deadline

Para is used to indicate a deadline or due date.

                   El proyecto es para el veinte de mayo.
                   The project is due the 20th of May.

                   Es necesario terminar el programa para las dos.
                   It's necessary to finish the program by two o'clock.

Standard

The standard is what is considered “normal.” To express that something strays from the norm in English, the preposition “for” is used in an expression like, “She's very cool for a teacher.” In other words, she isn't all that cool, it's just that she's cooler than the standard that is considered typical for a teacher. In Spanish, this expression of something that is contrary to the established or understood standard is stated using para.

              Su hijo sabe mucho para su edad.
              His son knows a lot for his age.
             

              Para ser extranjera, ella habla inglés bien.
              For being a foreigner, she speaks English well.

The reasons for using por can easily be remembered with the acronym DEEMMMS. Each word below represents one of the reasons, and they're all explained in detail in the following sections.

• Duration
  
  
• Emotions
  
  
• Exchange
  
  
• Motivation
  
  
• Means
  
  
• Movement
  
  
• Substitution

Por is used to express the duration of time or the length of time that something lasts.

                Vivimos en Puerto Rico por dos años.
                 We lived in Puerto Rico for two years.

The recipient of an emotion is expressed with the preposition por. Don't forget that para is used for the recipient of everything other than emotions.

               Su amor no es por mí.
                His/her love is not for me.

Exchange

When one thing is exchanged for another, por is used to express “for,” as in when money is exchanged for something.

               Talia pagó veinte dólares por los zapatos.
                Talia paid twenty dollars for the shoes.

                Quiero darte mi coche por tu coche.
                I want to give you my car (in exchange) for your car.

Whether or not you realize it, when you thank someone, you are exchanging your words of gratitude for something that has been done for you or given to you. For this reason, por is used after gracias or the verb agradecer (to thank).

                 En España, los niños les agradecen a los Reyes Magos por los regalos.
                 In Spain, the children thank the Three Wise Men for the gifts

                 Te doy las gracias por tu ayuda.
                  I give you thanks for your help.

Motivation

It is difficult to differentiate between motivation (which is expressed with por) and purpose (which is expressed with para). Motivation is the equivalent to the English expression “due to.” If you could replace the Spanish preposition with “due to,” then the Spanish preposition should be por. Motivation is the cause behind it rather than the goal in front of it. The following examples show the different uses of por and para:

                  Tengo muchas muestras de champú por el viaje de negocios.
                   I have many samples of shampoo due to the business trip.

                   Tengo muchas muestras de champú para el viaje.
                   I have many samples of shampoo for the trip.

There are also a few verbs that are consistently followed by the preposition por to indicate motivations. Andar (to walk), caminar (to walk), ir (to go) , regresar (to return), volver (to return), enviar (to send), and similar verbs will be followed by por when the purpose or motive is being provided.

                 Ellos van a la tienda por la leche.
                 They go to the store for milk.

                  Raul regresó por la comida de su madre.
                  Raul returned for his mother's food.

Means (of communication or transportation)

Movement (in an area)

While it's misleading to translate an English preposition to a Spanish preposition, you should use por anytime the idea expresses “through,” “by,” or “along.” Por indicates movement within an area.

                   Viajamos por los pueblos blancos de la Costa del Sol
                   We traveled through the whitewashed villages of the Costa del Sol.

                   Caminamos por las orillas del río.
                   We walked by the bank of the river.

                   Ella sigue por la calle principal.
                   She continues along the main street.

Substitution

The best way to know that the preposition is indicating substitution is to try the English expression “in place of” or “instead of.” If these expressions sound appropriate, the preposition is indicating a substitution, which requires the use of por. Compare the following pairs of sentences:

             Isabel compra el regalo por su madre. Su madre está enferma y no puede ir de compras.                           Isabel buys the gift for (in place of) her mother. Her mother's ill and can't go to the store.

             Isabel compra el regalo para su madre. Es el cumpleaños de su madre.
             Isabel buys the gift for her mother. It's her mother's birthday.

             Marta canta para Yolanda. A Yolanda le gusta la música.
             Marta sings for Yolanda. Yolanda likes music.

              Marta canta por Yolanda. Yolanda no puede cantar porque tiene laringitis.
              Marta sings in place of Yolanda. Yolanda can't sing because she has laryngitis.

Idiomatic expressions

There are certain verbs that use the preposition por to create an idiomatic expression and certain verbs that are used with para. These do not logically follow any of the rules for using por and para, because that is what an idiomatic expression is: a group of words that have a specific meaning when used together but don't make sense if you try to translate them separately into English. See Appendix

To avoid confusing the por and para rules, learn the idiomatic expressions with por and para separately. It may help you learn them if you put all the idiomatic expressions that include the preposition por on one color of flashcard and the expressions using para on another color, so that the color can help you remember the appropriate preposition. When you quiz yourself, rewrite both sets of idiomatic expressions on all white cards to see if you can remember whether to use por or para with each expression, as well as to see if you understand what the expression means.