I have created a way for you to master por vs para rules just in this article. First, you will learn the rules. Then, you will practice it by playing a game! Not a better way out there to learn such a difficult concept.
Por vs Para Practice Game
Now the you know por vs para rules, it’s time for practice game. I challenge you to at least become a champ and get your griffin to the end. If you do, I promise your understanding of when to use Para vs Por will be very good.
Practice Spanish with this Online Game:
Here you can study the all the por and para grammar and sentences that you will see in the game. Check it out:
| Question in Spanish | Translation in English | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Este regalo es ____ ti. | This gift is for you | para |
| Voy ____ Mexico mañana | I’m going to Mexico tomorrow | para |
| Practico deportes ____ mi salud | I practice sports for my health | por |
| Necesito terminarlo ____ el miércoles | I need to finish it by Wednesday | para |
| Voy a viajar a Europa ____ tren | I’m going to travel to Europe by train | por |
| Te doy dos dólares ____ tu taco | I’ll give you $2 for your taco | por |
| Voy a visitar a mi amigo ___ dos horas | I’m going to visit my friend for 2 hours | por |
| Haría lo mismo ___ ti | I’d do the same for you | por |
| Contácteme ____ teléfono | Contact me by phone | por |
| ¿Quieres caminar ____ la playa? | Do you want to walk on the beach? | por |
| Mi hija viajó ____ Europa | My daughter traveled through Europe | por |
| Cada día estudio ____ dos horas | I study for 2 hours everyday | por |
| Mi madre trabaja ____ ocho horas | My mom works for 8 hours | por |
| Tengo que hacer ejercicio ____ una hora | I have to exercise for 1 hour | por |
| Estudio español ____ mi novio | I study spanish because of my boyfriend | por |
| Trabajo ____ quien me paga | I work for who pays me | para |
| ¿Quieres cambiar el euro ____ dólares? | Do you want to change euro for dollars? | por |
| He vivido en Australia ____ cinco años | I have lived in Australia for 5 years | por |
| Ayer vi la televisión ____ dos horas | Yesterday I watched TV for 2 hours | por |
| Compré una hamburguesa ____ cinco dólares | I bought a hamburger for $5 | por |
| Lo hice ____ respeto | I did it out of respect | por |
| Hablo con mis padres ____ teléfono | I speak with my parents on the phone | por |
| ¿Llegan tarde ____ el tráfico? | Are you late due to traffic? | por |
| Corre ____ la playa cada noche | She runs along the beach every night | por |
| Mi hijo salió ____ Turquía ayer | My son left for Turkey yesterday | para |
| Tengo que comprar un regalo ____ mi hermana | I have to buy a gift for my sister | para |
| Hago ejercicio ____ mi salud | I exercise for my health | por |
| Esta comida es ____ ti | This food is for you | para |
| Tienes que terminar tu tarea ____ el viernes | You have to finish your homework by Friday | para |
| Estoy ahorrando ____ unas vacaciones | I am saving for a holiday | para |
| Voy a amarte ____ siempre | I am going to love you forever | para |
| Trabajo ____ poder viajar | I work so I can travel | para |
| Esto es ____ ti | This is for you | para |
| ____ un cambio quiero vivir en Colombia | For a change I want to live in Colombia | por |
| ____ mí, la comida es importante | For me, food is important | para |
| Esta agua es ____ lavar | That water is for washing | para |
| ____ nosotros, los postres son pequeños | For us, desserts are small | para |
| Me mudé a Chile ____ aprender español | I moved to Chile to learn spanish | para |
| ¿Este dinero es ____ mi? | Is this money for me? | para |
| ____ empezar, vamos al cine | For starters, lets go to the cinema | para |
| No me gusta ____ nada | I don’t like it at all | para |
| ____ lo menos podemos tomar algo | At least we can have a drink | por |
| Día ____ día mi español está mejorando | Day by day my spanish is improving | por |
| ____ lo mismo quiero irme | For the same reason I want to leave | por |
| Palabra ____ palabra dijo que me amaba | Word for word he said he loved me | por |
| Mi casa esta ____ allí | My house is around there | por |
| Estoy cien ____ ciento seguro | I am 100 percent sure | por |
| ____ cierto voy a visitarte | For sure, I am going to visit you | por |
| ____ lo general ¿comes sano? | Generally do you eat healthy? | por |
| in Spanish | in English |
|---|---|
| Por lo menos podemos tomar algo | At least we can have a drink |
| Día por día | Day by day |
| Por lo mismo quiero irme | For the same reason I want to leave |
| Palabra por palabra dijo | Word for word he said… |
| Mi casa está por allí | My house is around there |
| Estoy cien por ciento seguro | I am 100 percent sure |
| Por cierto voy a visitarte | For sure, I am going to visit you |
| Por lo general ¿comes sano? | Generally do you eat healthy? |
| Este regalo es para ti. | This gift is for you |
| Voy para Mexico mañana | I’m going to Mexico tomorrow |
| Practico deportes por mi salud | I practice sports for my health |
| Necesito terminarlo para el miércoles | I need to finish it by Wednesday |
| Voy a viajar a Europa por tren | I’m going to travel to Europe by train |
| Te doy dos dólares por tu taco | I’ll give you $2 for your taco |
| Visité a mi amigo por dos horas | I visited my friend for 2 hours |
| Haría lo mismo por ti | I’d do the same for you |
| Contácteme por teléfono | Contact me by phone |
| ¿Quieres caminar por la playa? | Do you want to walk on the beach? |
| Mi hija viajó por Europa | My daughter traveled through Europe |
| Cada día estudio por dos horas | Every day I study for 2 hours |
| Mi madre trabaja por ocho horas | My mom works for 8 hours |
| Tengo que hacer ejercicio por una hora | I have to exercise for 1 hour |
| Estudio español por mi novio | I study spanish because of my boyfriend |
| Trabajo para quien me paga | I work for who pays me |
| ¿Quieres cambiar el euro por dólares? | Do you want to change euro for dollars? |
| Viví en Australia por cinco años | I lived in Australia for 5 years |
| Ayer vi la televisión por tres horas | Yesterday I watched TV for 3 hours |
| Compré una por cinco dólares | I bought one for $5 |
| Lo hice por respeto | I did it out of respect |
| Hablo con mis padres por teléfono | I speak with my parents on the phone |
| ¿Llegan tarde por el tráfico? | You guys will arrive late due to traffic? |
| Corre por la playa | She runs along the beach |
| Mi hijo salió para Turquía ayer | My son left for Turkey yesterday |
| Tengo que comprar un regalo para mi hermana | I have to buy a gift for my sister |
| Hago ejercicio por mi salud | I exercise for my health |
| Esta comida es para ti | This food is for you |
| Tienes que terminarla para el viernes | You have to finish it by Friday |
| Ahorro para unas vacaciones | I save for a holiday |
| Voy a amarte para siempre | I am going to love you forever |
| Trabajo para poder viajar | I work so I can travel |
| Esto es para ti | This is for you |
| Por un cambio | For a change |
| Para mí, la comida es importante | For me, food is important |
| Ese agua es para lavar | That water is for washing |
| Para nosotros, son pequeños | For us, they are small |
| Me mudé a Chile para aprender español | I moved to Chile to learn spanish |
| ¿Este dinero es para mi? | Is this money for me? |
| Para empezar, vamos al cine | For starters, lets go to the cinema |
| No me gusta para nada | I don’t like it at all |
Para and Por is so difficult because it can mean:
- for
- per
- by
- through
- along
- towards
- instead of
- and more
So you can imagine why so many people have so many problems mastering it. It’s important to know the words, but even more important is to be able to practice it over and over again. Now get to studying, soon you will know the difference between por and para.
When to use Por in Spanish
In exchange for
Te lo doy por cinco dolares. – I will give it to you for five dollars.
La dio su gorra por sus zapatos. – He gave her his hat for her shoes.
Length of time
Estuve alla por dos horas. – I was there for two hours.
Te lo doy por cinco dolares. – I will give it to you for five dolares.
Means of doing something
Viaje por Europa por tren. – I travelled europe by train.
Te llame por teléfono – I called you by phone.
Through, along or by
Voy por el parque.. – I am going through the park.
Estuve por el rió.- I was by the river.
Giving thanks
Gracias por todo. – Thanks for everything.
Gracias por el almuerzo. – Thank you for lunch.
Frequency
Me ducho dos veces por día. – I shower two times per day.
When to use Para in Spanish
Receiving a gift
Este regalo es para ti. – This present is for you.
Purpose for
La cama es para dormir. – The bed is for sleeping.
Employed by
Mi amigo trabaja para su padre. – My friend works for his father.
Comparisons
Hablas bien para ser extranjero. – You speak well for a foreigner.
Towards a direction
Vamos para allá. – Let’s go that direction.
In the future
Eso es para mañana. – That is for tomorrow.
If you want a deeper understanding of the rules of Por vs. Para, check out this video. It covers the subject pretty well:
The Only Way to Really Master Por vs Para
The truth is learning para vs. por is so complicated that you honestly can’t learn it just trying to remember rules, the only way to really learn it is the same way every native speaker in Latin America has mastered it… practice and repetition.
Practice and repetition is typically boring, so the solution is to learn it by playing a game. If you are interested in checkout a game and not a demo to learn Spanish, click here.
