Are you learning Spanish (online)? Many students who learn Spanish (online) need some extra exercises to improve their Spanish. One of the ‘tricky’ topics of Spanish grammar is when to use ’por’ and when to use para”. Both can be translated to ‘for’ but both also have many different meanings and are used instead of other prepositions in English.
Find below some quick guidelines on when to use ‘por’ and when to use ‘para’. On the internet you will find different websites about the Spanish language. If you want to practice your Spanish and the use of ‘ por’ and ‘para’ now, please go to Spanish exercises: When to use Por or Para to improve your Spanish quickly.
More Spanish Exercices:
Practice irregular verbs in Spanish
Spanish exercises: When to use Por or Para
Guide to When to use ‘por’ and ‘para’ in Spanish:
When to use ‘Por’:
| Duration or time: | Example: Estudié por dos horas. (I studied for two hours.) |
| Reason or motive: | Example: Lo hice por ti. (I did it for you.) |
| Substitution or exchange: | Example: Lo cambié por otra cosa. (I exchanged it for something else.) |
| Movement through or along a place: | Example: Pasamos por el parque. (We passed through the park.) |
| Means of communication: | Example: Hablamos por teléfono. (We talked on the phone.) |
When to use ‘Para’:
| Destination or direction: | Example: Salimos para Madrid. (We’re leaving for Madrid.) |
| Recipient: | Example: Este regalo es para ti. (This gift is for you.) |
| Purpose or goal: | Example: Estudiamos para aprender. (We study to learn.) |
| Employment: | Example: Trabaja para una empresa grande. (He works for a big company.) |
| Deadline or specific time in the future: | Example: Necesito el informe para el lunes. (I need the report by Monday.) |
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Exercise: Choose between 'por' and 'para'.
