Por vs Para: The Ultimate Guide (+Tons of Examples)

Spanish native speakers don’t have to think about when to use por vs para.

For us language learners, it’s a different story. In this article, you’re going to discover the rules governing por vs para, and (more importantly) tons of examples that you can learn so you don’t even have to think about the rules at all when speaking Spanish.

1. Should I Use Por or Para?

You can also watch this video from Mariana, teacher at Spring Spanish (a Spanish YouTube Channel I co-founded):

2. Rules for the Use of Por vs Para

Let’s take a closer look at the situations in which por is used.

Rules for POR

• To express the cause or reason for doing something

Hago esto por nuestra amistad. (I’m doing this for our friendship.)

• To refer to the way or means to do something

Te mando el documento por correo electrónico. (I’m sending you the document by email.)

• To express a period of time

Yo solo trabajo por la mañana. (I only work in the morning.)

• To express that something happens along, around or through a place

Este tren pasa por Salamanca. (This train passes by Salamanca.)

• To express that you are in favor of some idea

Yo estoy por la libertad de expresión. (I am in favor of freedom of speech.)

• To express an exchange

Quiero cambiar dólares por euros. (I want to exchange dollars for euros.)

• In a passive sentence, it introduces the agent or person

Este cuadro fue pintado por Dalí. (This painting was painted by Dalí.)

• You always blame with “por”:

Por tu culpa no podemos ir al concierto. (Because of you we cannot go to the concert.)

• You always thank with “por”

Gracias por tu regalo. (Thank you for your gift.)

• You always apologize or say sorry with “por”

Perdona por el retraso. (Sorry for the delay.)

What about para? Let’s take a look!

Rules for PARA

• To express the person towards whom you direct the action:

Esto es para mi madre. (This is for my mother.)

• To express an object’s use or purpose:

Esta taza es para el café. (This cup is for coffee.)

• To express the deadline for something:

Este trabajo es para mañana. (This work is for tomorrow.)

• To express the last destination:

Este tren va para Barcelona. (The train goes to Barcelona. Barcelona is the end station.)

• To express the goal of an action:

La empresa hace marketing para vender más. (The company does marketing to sell more.)

It’s hard to remember all these rules when you’re in a conversation with a native speaker. That’s why it’s much easier to memorize fixed word combinations with por and para that native speakers use (we call them chunks), like the examples you saw before.

If you memorize chunks in context from conversations with native speakers (or even example sentences) you don’t even have to think about the rules; you know they’re correct, so you can use them yourself right away.

The more chunks with por vs para you observe, the easier it’ll become for you – even as a Spanish beginner. So let’s take a look at some more examples!

Por vs para for people

Por vs para for things or events

Por vs para for means of transport or communication

Por vs para for period of time

Por vs para for places

Por vs para for Exchange and Prices

Por vs para for social situations

3. Differences Between Por vs Para

Haven’t had enough yet? Let’s take a look at some examples where it isn’t so clear which preposition to use.

Advanced chart comparing por vs para

4. Practice Section – Fill in the Blanks With Por or Para

I. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate preposition ‘por’ or ‘para’:

You deserve to learn Spanish in the best way possible.

That’s why we created our full Spanish practice worksheets. These worksheets will help you practice and reinforce your Spanish knowledge in all domains, from vocabulary and grammar to reading and writing.

Don’t hesitate to get your full Spanish practice worksheets now and enjoy learning Spanish like never before!

5. Mastering Por vs Para: A Step Towards Fluency in Spanish With Chunking

Even though there are clear rules for when to use por vs para, using them correctly might still be tricky, as you have just seen. Luckily, the more chunks you learn by heart, the easier it gets!

Want a head start? Make sure to sign up for your free Spanish Chunking Starter Pack now to get lists of essential Spanish chunks, a Chunking Guide, 12-Week Study Plan and an Over-The-Shoulder Chunking Demo with me.