Hola amigos...
After a one month hiatus, I am back with a new Viper Spanish post. Today, we look at the basic difference between "por" and "para."
PARA basically expresses:
1. Purpose: ¿Para qué corres todos los días? (Why do you run every day?)
2. Destination: Ya me fui para San Francisco. (I already left for San Francisco.)
3. Intended for: Se usa el internet para buscar información. (The internet is used to look for information.)
4. Sets a limit on time: Hay que entregar el ensayo para el viernes. (The essay must be turned in by Friday.)
5. Comparing while considering a fact: Para una guitarrista, tocas bien el piano. (For a guitarist, you play the piano well.)
6. As for: Para mi, está bien, pero para ella, no sé. (For me, it's okay, but as for her, I don't know.)
POR expresses:
1. Along/through: Entró por la puerta y salió por la ventana. (He entered through the door and left through the window.)
2. Expresses periods of time: Viví en Téjas por dos meses. (I lived in Texas for two months.)
3. In exchange for: Me cobró cincuenta dólares por su autógrafo. (He charged me fifty bucks for his autograph.)
4. For, as the object of an errand: Fui al mercado por leche. (I went to the market for milk.) [This is different than destination, which uses para, because the word after "for" is not the place of destination, rather the item that is going to be obtained.]
5. For the sake of/on behalf of: Compré los discos por ti. (I bought the CD's for you.)
Escribí esta canción por mi país. (I wrote this song for my country.)
6. Muliplication: Dos por cinco son diez. (Two times five is ten.)
7. "Per": Manejaba a 95 millas por hora cuando el policía me detuvo. (I was driving at 95 miles per hour when the policeman stopped me.)
