Por y Para

6th Period

For any amount of time, you use por.

• Los futbolistas juegan por 2 horas.•Voy a California por un

mes.

For time in general, you use por.

• Estudiamos por las noches.• (We study at night.)• Ellas esquían por los inviernos.• (They ski in the winter.)

One way to use por is expressing gratitude or an apology.

• Ex: Gracias por su interés en el proyecto• Thanks for your interest in the project.• Ex: Estoy arepentido por no haberte

comprado un regalo de Navidad.• I am sorry for not having bought you a

Christmas gift.

Another way to use por is stating when something happened

because of...verb. (Expresses cause, not purpose/goal!)

• Ex: Por tener mucha hambre quiero comer ahora.

• Due to being very hungry I want to eat now.• Ex: Ella no fue a la escuela por estar enferma.• She did not go to school due to being sick.

Multiplication and Division

• Just like when you say “by” using multiplication in English, you say por in Spanish.

• Ex 1: 5 by 5 is 25Cinco por cinco son veinticinco

Ex 2: 12 divided by 2 is 6Doce dividido por dos son seis

Through, Along, or By a Space (like areas)

Use por when passing areas whether important or local.

Ex: The bicyclists ride their bikes through the mountainsLos ciclistas montan sus bicicletas por las montañas.

Ex: The police officer drives through the neighborhood in his patrol car.El policía conduce por el barrio en su carro.

When using passive voice:

• Por is: By• Ex: El cuadro fue pintado por

Picasso.• The painting was painted by Picasso.• Passive voice is always something

done in the past.

When using velocity, frequency & proportion:

• Por is: per• Ex: Juan se cepilla los dientes dos

veces por hora. ¡Es loco!• Juan brushes his teeth two times per

hour. He's crazy!• El carro va 70 millas por hora.• The car goes 70 miles per hour.

• We use por for communication because it's like using via or by. (means of)

• Ex. Los muchachos hablan por Skype.

• We use por for transportation because its giving a way. (means of)

• Ex. Los refugiados llegan a los Estados Unidos por barco.

• We use “por” for any means of exchanging or buying. (in exchange for)• Ex: Los estudiantes compran el

libro por 20 dolares.• Ex: Los niños compran los

videojuegos por 60 pesos.

• To indicate something is about to happen, in Spanish, we use para because it means to look forward to: such as a goal or destination.

• EX. El tren está PARA salir.• (The train is about to leave.)

• As well as meaning "about to" para also translates directly to "in order to" or "for the purpose of", which in Spanish, is used to show need or requirement.

• EX. Llevo mi abrigo PARA no tener frío.• (I wear my coat so as not to be cold.)

• To express opinion you use para; • Examples: • Para mí poder leer es muy importante. • For me (in my opinion) to be able to read is

very important.

• Para ustedes Los vegetales son Los peores.• For you all (in my opinion) the vegetables are

the worst.

• Whenever you're giving something to somebody; para

• Examples: • Las galletas son para las niñas. • The cookies are for the girls.

• Yo les compro el libro para ustedes. • I buy the book for you all.

• Destination in time- to express deadline or specific time

• Examples: • El profesor dice: "necesito los ensayos para el

viernes." • The teacher says, " I need the essays by Friday."

• ¿Para cuándo deseas los documentos?• For when do you want the documents?