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Spanish Grammar in Context

A reference grammar with video examples from the Spanish in Texas collection

  • Credits
  • Index
  • About
  • Home
  • Adjectives
    • Introduction to Adjectives
    • Adjectives – Formation and Placement
    • Comparisons and Superlatives with Adjectives
    • Past Participles as Adjectives
    • Todo
    • Indefinite Adjectives
    • Adjectives Practice
  • Adverbs
    • Introduction to Adverbs
    • Adverbs – Formation and Placement
    • Comparative Adverbs
    • Adverbs Practice
  • Conjunctions
    • Introduction to Conjunctions
    • Coordinating Conjunctions
    • Subordinating Conjunctions
    • Conjunctions Practice
  • Determiners
    • Introduction to Determiners
    • Definite Articles
    • Indefinite Articles
    • Possessive Determiners
    • Demonstrative Determiners
    • Expressions of Quantity
    • Determiners Practice
  • Negation
    • Introduction to Negation
    • Basic Negation: No
    • Alternate Forms of Negation
    • One-word Negative Sentences
    • Negation Practice
  • Nouns
    • Introduction to Nouns
    • Nouns – Number
    • Nouns – Gender
    • Nouns Practice
  • Prepositions
    • Introduction to Prepositions
    • Common Prepositions
    • Por vs. Para
    • Prepositions Practice
  • Pronouns
    • Introduction to Pronouns
    • Subject Pronouns
    • Direct Object Pronouns
    • Indirect Object Pronouns
    • Reflexive Pronouns
    • Order of Object Pronouns
    • Relative Pronouns
    • Indefinite Pronouns
    • Demonstrative Pronouns
    • Possessive Pronouns
    • Pronouns Practice
  • Verbs
    • Introduction to Verbs
    • Tense/Mood
    • Introduction to Present Tense
      • -ar Verbs (Regular) Present Tense
      • -er Verbs (Regular) Present Tense
      • -ir Verbs (Regular) Present Tense
    • Ser “To Be”
    • Haber “To Have”
    • Reflexive Verbs
    • Preterit
    • Present Perfect
    • Imperfect
    • Narration: Preterit vs. Imperfect
    • Pluperfect
    • Future
    • Conditional
    • Past Conditional
    • Imperative Mood (commands)
    • Introduction to Subjunctive
      • Subjunctive – Present
      • Subjunctive – Past or Imperfect
      • Subjunctive – Present Perfect
      • Subjunctive – Pluperfect
      • Tense Sequences
    • Si Clauses (If Clauses)
    • Indirect Speech
      • Indirect Speech – Present
      • Indirect Speech – Past
    • Passive Voice
    • Language Contact
    • Verbs Practice
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    Practice quizzes: prepositions

    Por vs. Para

    Por and para are very common prepositions and have a lot of different functions and meanings. Unfortunately, they are often confused because they can each be translated as for.

    Por

    This preposition can be a little bit problematic for a learner because it has many different uses. It can be used to:

    Express Gratitude or Apology

    Muchas gracias por la entrevista.
    Thanks a lot for the interview.

    Talk about Multiplication and Division

    Dos por dos son cuatro. Two times two equals four.

    Express Velocity, Frequency and Proportion

    Antes íbamos como dos veces por semana.
    Before we used to go approximately twice per week.

    Indicate Location or Movement Meaning “Through,” “Along,” “By” or “In the Area of”

    Sus máquinas están por todo el mundo.
    His machines are used across the world.

    Talk about Exchange, Including Sales

    Mi papá por ochocientos dólares se compró ese terrenito.
    My dad bought that land for 800 dollars.

    Mean “On Behalf of,” or “In Favor of,”

    Trabajó por su papá que tenía la ferretería.
    She worked for her father that owned the hardware store.

    Express a Length of Time, Duration

    Yo me quedé con mi suegra por cinco años.
    I have been living with my mother in law for five years.

    Express an Undetermined, or General Time, Meaning “During”

    Tuve que caminar como tres kilómetros por la mañana para llegar allá.
    I had to walk for approximately three kilometers during the morning to get there.

    Talk about Means of Communication or Transportation

    Mi esposa es de Montevideo, entonces seguíamos hablando por teléfono.
    My wife is from Montevideo, so we kept talking by phone.

    Show the Reason for an Errand (with ir, venir, pasar, mandar, volver, and preguntar)

    Paso por ti a las ocho.I will come by for you at eight o’clock.

    Express Cause or Reason

    Por el frío no se mantuvo abierta la ventana ese día.
    Because of the cold they did not keep the window open that day.

    Introduce the Agent in Passive Constructions

    El libro fue escrito por Octavio Paz. The book was written by Octavio Paz.

    Por also appears in many idiomatic expressions:

    • por adelantado in advance
    • por ahora for now
    • por allí around there; that way
    • por amor de Dios for the love of God
    • por aquí around here; this way
    • por casualidad by chance
    • por ciento percent
    • por cierto certainly, talking of
    • por completo completely
    • por dentro inside
    • por desgracia unfortunately
    • por ejemplo for example
    • por eso therefore
    • por favor please
    • por fin finally
    • por lo general generally
    • por lo visto apparently
    • por medio de by means of
    • por lo menos at least
    • por lo tanto consequently
    • por mi parte as for me
    • por ningún lado nowhere
    • por otra parte on the other hand
    • palabra por palabra word for word
    • por primera vez for the first time
    • por separado separately
    • por supuesto of course
    • por suerte fortunately
    • por todas partes everywhere
    • por todos lados on all sides
    • por último finally
    Me considero mexicano al cien por ciento.
    I consider myself as 100 percent Mexican.

    Para

    This preposition has many different uses. It can be used to:

    Indicate Destination

    Estudié mis primeros dos años en el TEC de Monterrey en Chihuahua y luego vine para acá, me transferí para acá.
    I studied during my first two years at the TEC of Monterrey, Chihuahua and then I came here, I moved here.

    Show the Use or Purpose of a Thing

    Había otra escuela que se llamaba C. S. Winn que tenía clases para los estudiantes que no sabían inglés.
    There was another school called C. S. Winn that offered classes for students who did not speak English.

    Express Purpose, Objective, Aim, or Goal

    Caminaba una hora para llegar a la escuela y para regresar, era otra hora.
    I used to walk one hour to get to school and to go back, another hour.

    Indicate a Recipient

    El abuelo mío me daba cada ocho días cinco centavos, para mi hermana y para mí.
    My grandfather used to give me five cents every eight days, for my sister and for me.

    Express a Deadline or Specific Time

    Necesito el vestido para el lunes.I need the dress by Monday.

    Express a Contrast from What is Expected

    Para un niño lee muy bien. For a child, he reads very well.

    Meaning Changes

    It is very important to learn to use these two prepositions correctly, because if substituting one for the other, the final meaning can be dramatically different. Check the two examples:

    Juan compró el regalo para María. Juan bought the gift for Maria (he bought it to give to her).

    Juan compró el regalo por María. Juan bought the gift for Maria (he bought it because she could not).

    Por and para can also be used in questions.

    ¿Por qué? means Why? (for what reason?)

    ¿Por qué estudias español? For what reason do you study Spanish?

    Porque es un requisito. Because it’s required.

    ¿Para qué? means Why? (for what purpose?)

    ¿Para qué estudias español?For what purpose do you study Spanish?

    Para ser profesor de español. In order to become a Spanish teacher.

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