Prepositions - Por vs. Para

Proper use of the prepositions por and para can be difficult for non-native Spanish speakers. Perhaps the difficulty comes from the diverse uses that each one has.

Some uses of the preposition para:

• express the idea of "in my opinion"
• indicate the place toward which someone is going
• convey the time limit of a particular action
• para + infinitive: "in order to" and the expression of purpose
• express suitability

Some uses of the preposition por:

• express the reason or motive for an action
• indicate a place where movement is occurring
• periods of time: parts of the day
• por = per
• express price or an exchange
• por + means of transportation
• por = by

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