¿Cual es la diferencia entre “por” y “para”?

Prepositions can be difficult in Spanish, especially when it comes to saying the word “for.” In Spanish, “para” and “por” both mean “for” in English, so it’s important to understand when to use each. Here are the meanings of each word to give you a better idea when to use them:

Use “por” ….
-For the cause of the action; because of. Eg. Estoy tarde por el tráfico.
-For duration or time. Eg. Visita por dos horas.
-Meaning “by,” “about,” “through,” or “around.” Eg. Juan anda por las calles.
-Meaning “in favor of”. Eg. Elena vota por el presidente.
-To express gratitude. Eg. Gracias por la comida.
-For a means of transportation. Eg. Vengo por avión.
-With certain expressions. Eg. Por favor or por supuesto.

Use “para”…
-Meaning “in order to.” Eg. Estudio para graduarme.
-When something is for someone. Eg. Este regalo es para ti.
-Meaning for a specific time. Eg. Necesito hacer mi tarea para lunes.
-Meaning “to” or “by” when going somewhere. Eg. Va para la casa de su mamá.

Now that you’ve learned the meanings of these tricky prepositions, take the quiz to test your knowledge. ¡Buena suerte!

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