The prepositions por and para both translate as "for" in English, but they serve different functions and choosing the right one changes the meaning of a sentence. This guide explains their key uses with short examples.
Por
Use por to express cause, reason, movement through space or time, exchange, and means or manner. Think of por as highlighting the motivator, passage, or medium.
Para
Use para to indicate purpose, destination, deadline, recipient, and standard or comparison. Think of para as pointing toward an end goal or intended use.
Key Expressions
Some expressions use fixed prepositions, so it's helpful to learn common phrases with por and para to sound natural and avoid mistakes.
| Spanish Expression | English Meaning | |
|---|---|---|
| 🌟 por favor | please | |
| ✅ por supuesto | of course | |
| ⏰ por la mañana | in the morning | |
| 🚶 por aquí | around here | |
| 🎉 por eso | that's why | |
| 🛒 por ejemplo | for example | |
| 🔄 para siempre | forever | |
| 🎁 para ti | for you |
Summary
Remember: use por for cause, passage, exchange, and means; use para for purpose, destination, deadline, and recipient. Practice swapping them in context to feel the difference.
Examples
More Practice
Find short sentences to translate or tweak so you can apply por and para in real situations.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025