394. The prepositions para
and por are a source of much confusion
to the English-speaking student. This is largely due to the fact
that both are frequently translated by the English preposition '
for.' The general distinction is that para indicates
purpose, destination, direction, while por indicates
source, cause, means.
395. The Preposition
para. The principal uses of the preposition para,
' for, to, in order to,' are the following:
a. To express the use or purpose
of an object.
| Es una cuchara para sopa. |
It is a soup spoon. |
| El lápiz es para V. |
The pencil is for you. |
Le dí diez pesos para gastos
de viaje. |
I gave him ten dollars for traveling expenses. |
b. To express purpose before the infinitive
(often an emphatic form of a).
| Comemos para vivir. |
We eat to live. |
| |
Voy a su casa para ver
a su padre.
Voy a su casa a ver a su padre. |
} |
I am going to his house to see his father. |
| |
| Trabaja para ganar dinero. |
He works to earn money. |
c. To express time.
| Dejaremos eso para otro
día. |
We will leave that for another
day. |
Para cuando venga ya yo
estaré aquí. |
By the time he comes,
I shall be here. |
d. To express direction, destination.
| Caminan para el norte. |
They are going north. |
| Voy para Madrid. |
I am going to Madrid. |
| Van para su casa. |
They are going home. |
396. The Preposition por.
The principal uses of the preposition por, ' for,
by, to, through, on account of,' are the following:
a. To express cause, manner, means.
| Ya me muero por verle.
|
I am dying to see him. |
| Esto fué hecho por él. |
This was done by him. |
| Lo hago por caridad. |
I do it on account of charity. |
| Vienen por ferrocarril. |
They are coming by railroad. |
Subió por sus propias
fuerzas. |
He ascended through his own strength. |
b. To express time when or place through
which.
| Viene por la tarde. |
He comes in the afternoon. |
| ¿Ha estado V. aquí
por mucho tiempo? |
Have you been here (for) a long time? |
| Metió la mano por la ventana. |
He put his hand through the window. |
c. To express ' on account of,' ' for the sake of '
(but not ' for the benefit of,' which is expressed by para,
395 a).
| Lo hago por usted. |
I do it for you (on your behalf). |
d. To express price, value, exchange.
Vendió el caballo
por cien
pesos. |
He sold the horse for one hundred
dollars. |
| Se venden por docena. |
They are sold by the dozen. |
| Me dió su pluma por la mía. |
He gave me his pen for mine. |
e. With the agent of the passive if the action is physical.
(If the action is mental, de is also used, 399
e.)
| La leña fué
traída por los muchachos. |
The wood was brought by
the boys. |
397. Estar used with para
and por.
Estar para indicates purpose with certainty as
to the fulfillment of the action, while estar por
indicates inclination.
| Estoy para irme. |
I am about to go away. |
| Estoy por irme. |
I am about to (I have a mind to) go. |
398. The distinction between para and
por is frequently not brought out in the English sentence.
| Lo hago para él. |
I do it for him (for his benefit). |
| Lo hago por él. |
I do it for him (on his account). |
Voy a verlo para ser amigo
suyo. |
I am going to see him
(in order) to be his friend. |
| Voy a verlo por ser su amigo. |
I am going to see him because I am his friend. |
399. The Preposition de. The
various uses of the preposition de, ' of, from,
by, about, on, at,' etc., are too many to be treated here in detail.
In many respects it is the simplest and easiest of the Spanish prepositions
to understand. The following uses, however, need special treatment.
a. To express origin, source.
| Viene de París. |
He is coming from Paris. |
| Es de Chicago. |
He is from Chicago. |
b. To express cause, state.
| Lo hace de tonto. |
He does it because he is a fool. |
| No habla de orgullo. |
He doesn't speak through pride. |
| Gritó de gusto. |
He screamed from joy. |
c. To express time.
| de día; de noche;
|
by day; by night, at night. |
| Es de día. |
It is day. |
| Era un joven de doce años. |
He was a youth of twelve years. |
d. To translate the English ' with,' ' in,' ' of,' after
an adjective or past participle.
| El pozo está lleno
de piedras. |
The well is filled with stones.
|
| Estaba vestida de negro. |
She was dressed in black. |
| La casa estaba llena de humo. |
The house was full of smoke. |
| El asno iba cargado de sal. |
The donkey was loaded with salt. |
e. To indicate the agent of a passive verb if the action
is mental. See 396 e.
| Es querida de (por)
todos. |
She is loved by all. |
|
