Skip to content Skip to navigation

Connexions

You are here: Home » Content » The Spanish prepositions PARA and POR

Navigation

Content Actions
  • Download module PDF
  • Add to ...
    Add the module to:
    • My Favorites
    • A lens
    • An external social bookmarking service
    • My Favorites (What is 'My Favorites'?)
      'My Favorites' is a special kind of lens which you can use to bookmark modules and collections directly in Connexions. 'My Favorites' can only be seen by you, and collections saved in 'My Favorites' can remember the last module you were on. You need a Connexions account to use 'My Favorites'.
    • A lens (What is a lens?)

      Definition of a lens

      Lenses

      A lens is a custom view of Connexions content. You can think of it as a fancy kind of list that will let you see Connexions through the eyes of organizations and people you trust.

      What is in a lens?

      Lens makers point to Connexions materials (modules and collections), creating a guide that includes their own comments and descriptive tags about the content.

      Who can create a lens?

      Any individual Connexions member, a community, or a respected organization.

    • External bookmarks
  • E-mail the author

Recently Viewed

The Spanish prepositions PARA and POR

Module by: Marathon Montrose Ramsey

Summary: Describes basic differences between por and para as well as their etymology.

The prepositions para and por, from the variety of their meanings and usage, deserve a chapter to themselves. They are employed in senses that have so great an apparent resemblance, that no small care is required to distinguish them. Stated roughly, por refers to source and para to destination.

Example 1

Esta carta fue escrita por el general para el rey. This letter was written by the general [intended] for the king.

Of the two, por represents the most difficulty. It may be regarded as taking the places of the Latin per and pro.

Per was used in expressing the time or place "through" which anything passed; the person "through" or "by" whom, or that "on account of" which, anything was done.

The primary meaning of pro was "before", "in front of". But one might stand before another as a defender, advocate, friend or representative, and thus act or speak "for" or "on behalf of" him, or "for" his benefit; it also signified the taking, exchanging or substituting one person or thing "for" another.

These various senses are combined in the Spanish por.

Para is a combination of pro in the sense of "before", "forward", and ad, "to", so that its primary signification is "forward unto". In all its uses its characteristics are purpose, object, end or intention.

Comments, questions, feedback, criticisms?

Send feedback