Por', 'Para' and the Personal 'a'

Por’, ‘Para’ and the Personal ‘a’

• ‘Por’ and ‘Para’ are two important prepositions in Spanish and are often used interchangeably in English as ‘for.’ Understanding their differences will improve your proficiency.

• ‘Por’: commonly used to indicate reason or motive (‘because of’), means or mode (‘by’), duration (‘for’) and exchange (‘for’).

  • Example: El niño llora por hambre. (The child cries out of hunger.)

• ‘Para’: generally indicates purpose (‘in order to’), recipient (‘for’), direction or destination (‘toward’), or a deadline (‘by’).

  • Example: Este regalo es para ti. (This gift is for you.)

• It’s crucial to remember that ‘por’ and ‘para’ are not interchangeable. The meaning of a sentence can change dramatically based on which one you use.

• The personal ‘a’ in Spanish is a direct object pronoun that is used when the direct object of a sentence is a person or people. This pronoun does not exist in English, and so it may seem confusing to English speakers.

• Use of the Personal ‘a’:
  • Before the direct object that is a specific person or group of people
  • Before the word ‘quien’ or ‘quienes’ when they are used as direct objects.
  • Before ‘alguien’ or ‘nadie,’ but not ‘algo’ or ‘nada.’
• Examples:
  • Veo a María en el parque. (I see Maria at the park.)
  • No veo a nadie en el parque. (I don’t see anyone at the park.)

• Note: The Personal ‘a’ is not used when the direct object is not a specific person or when it’s not human.

• Practice using these prepositions and the personal ‘a’ in various sentences, as it will bolster your written and spoken Spanish.