We explain the differences and uses of por and para in Spanish. Today you are in luck! We are going to talk about a very important part of Spanish grammar. The prepositions for and for. Por y para is our favorite couple in Spanish grammar. We use them a lot. To be and to be,
Today you are in luck! We are going to talk about a very important part of Spanish grammar. The prepositions by and for.
by and for is our favorite couple in Spanish grammar. We use them a lot.
be and be, you are also an endearing couple, don't be jealous😊
But we return to the topic. In this article you will learn all the uses of by and for and some of the most relevant contrasted ones. You will see how this way you will understand them much better.
The article will be divided as follows:
We assure you that you will not find one most complete guide to by and for than the one you are about to read.
Let's start!
As we have said before, these prepositions in spanish They are used to express many different things.
The problem is that many times people confuse them because they have some uses that seem very similar.
However, if you want to learn Spanish well, you need to master when use by and for correctly, at least the most basic uses.
So, we come to the million dollar question: ¿When are they used by and for in Spanish?
We guarantee that at the end of the article you will finally know how to use these prepositions perfectly.
Let's start the explanation with some of the main uses that most often confuse Spanish students.
These uses are basic and that is why it is important that you master them. We contrast them so that you can better see the similarities and their differences.
For express cause, we use the preposition by.
For express purpose, we resort to the preposition for.
A cause is the motive or reason that moves you to do an action. Therefore, the cause is what generates the action.
We have a very common structure in this use. It is the following:
BY + NOUN
That noun is the cause that will produce an action or an event. Let's see it with examples:
Do you see it? In the examples, the nouns "the rain", "love" and "many reasons" are the causes that generate the actions.
We also have other structures to express the cause, they are the following:
BY + PRONOUN / INFINITIVE / ADJECTIVE
Personal pronouns, infinitives and adjectives can also be the reason for performing an action. Let's see it with examples:
Have you understood it? The use ofcause is one of the most important of the preposition by. Remember the previous structures, it is the key.
The purpose would be like the opposite of the cause. It's ours target and we take actions to achieve it. It is our actions that will generate the purpose.
We know that the concepts of cause and purpose can be a bit confusing. But don't worry! We have another magical structure to make your life easier. It is this:
FOR + INFINITIVE
The purpose always is going to express with infinitives. Have you seen how easy? Let's see some phrases with «for + infinitive» so you understand it better:
Are the examples clear? As you can see, the purposes are always goals we want to achieve and we need to take certain actions to fulfill those purposes.
Now, if you have noticed, both in cause and purpose we have the structure with an infinitive: BY + INFINITIVE / FOR + INFINITIVE
How can we differentiate them? This causes a lot of confusion for students, since sometimes it is difficult to distinguish them.
You need to pay close attention to sentence context to determine if it is cause or purpose. Let's compare these structures with examples:
Do you see the difference? The cause is always before the action. The purpose, on the other hand, is achieved after the action.
With the prepositions for and by we can alsoexpress trips to places. Each one has its particularities.
with for we can express direction, that is, that we move to a place.
In this sense, we could use “to” or “towards”, which are also prepositions to talk about direction and would have a similar meaning.
A passing place is like a path. This path we traverse can lead us to a destination:
Although we can also take this place of passage as our purpose of travel, and not as a path that leads to a destination.
Now you know that by and for They are two of the prepositions of place in Spanish.
¿What are the prepositions of place? There are many:
To, in, by, for, towards, from, until...
Each one has its particularities that little by little you will understand.
Step by step, don't stress! 💪🏻
In this duality of by vs for We also have the contrast between opinion and preference. Both are similar things, but not totally the same. Let's see how to express them and their differences.
We use the structure FOR + PRONOUN / NAME OF PERSON to express the opinion that a person has about something.
This use of for It is very used, since you can give your opinion on practically anything, and we Spaniards love to do it and talk about our opinions😁
When the preposition is used by To speak of preference, the structure is BY + PRONAME.
What is a preference? It is choose an option from those presented because it seems more appropriate or we like it more.
a) What restaurant are we going to have dinner tonight?
b) for me, let's go to the Mexican that is near our neighborhood. I don't feel like going too far.
Do you understand then the difference between opinion and preference? one opinion is our beliefs or thoughts about something.
one preference, on the other hand, is expressed only when we select between different options to choose from.
You just saw the contrast between for vs by,but this impossible love story doesn't end here 😊
Both prepositions are used for many more things. Next you will see other uses of by.
The preposition by can express the moment of the day in which an action is done. The parts of the day are basically:
in the morning
in the afternoon
at night
in the morning
When we use the preposition by, we talk about the part of the day in general.
If we want specify the time, we will use the preposition of instead of by.
Do you want to make a exchange from one thing to another? Then you will need the preposition by for it to be carried out correctly.
We can also express the price that has cost us something.
how many media or channels They exist so that we can communicate remotely with other people? Many!
We have the telephone, the mobile phone, the chat, the social networks, the applications, the video call, the email...
Well, to refer to the communication that is carried out through these means, we can use the preposition by.
This use is similar to the one we have seen before of "place of passage." Both talk about places, but this one is used when we don't know exactly the place where we are or we don't want to say it because it is not necessary.
a) Juan, where are you? The concert has already started.
b) Don't worry, I'm close, through the Benimaclet neighborhood. I'll be right there.
If you notice, the example does not say exactly where in Benimaclet it is. It is a very convenient way to say where you are quickly, without specifying the street.
In this use of the approximate place it is also common to say over here or over there.
To talk about frequencies or periodicity, the most used preposition is to:
However, the preposition by It is also used to express periodicity:
In the passive voice we use the preposition by when there is agent plugin. Are these terms unfamiliar to you? No problem, we'll explain it to you!
In Spanish there are two voices, active and passive.
The active voice structure is this:
SUBJECT + VERB + COMPLEMENT
Instead, the passive voice structure It's like this:
SUBJECT PATIENT + BE + PARTICIPLE + FOR + AGENT COMPLEMENT
The patient subject is the direct complement of the active voice. And the agent complement is the subject.
Therefore, all you have to do is alternate the order of the elements and write the verb to be with the same tense of the active voice adding a participle.
We know that the explanation is a bit confusing, so as always, let's see it with examples that will be much easier to understand:
Do you see it? We add by before the agent complement.
Are you wondering what is it used for the passive voice? It is used to give emphasis on complement and turn it into a subject.
In the example above, the passive voice is giving more importance to Facebook than to Mark Zuckerberg.
For It is a very versatile preposition with many uses that we use every day.
Let's see them!
When is it used for like recipient? When we refer above all to the person who receives an action or a thing.
with for we can also set deadlines to do something or indicate the precise date in which an action must be done.
a)For when Is the deadline for submitting the Final Degree Project?
b) Delivery will be for June 20. Shipments after that day will not be accepted.
The meaning of for negativizer expresses the reluctance or inability to do something due to lack of motivation or because some reason prevents you from doing so.
It always follows a structure, which is:
NO + ESTAR + PARA + PLURAL NOUN / INFINITIVE
what is for in the concessive value What shows surprise?
This use is advanced level, so if you are at the basic or intermediate level and you don't understand it well, it is totally normal.
The concessive sentences They introduce an obstacle that, despite everything, does not make it impossible for an action to be carried out. The concessive connector that is most used in oral Spanish is though.
However, For with concessive value is not exactly the same as although. With this preposition, the concessive value It is not an obstacle, but a surprise.
The structure is usually like this:
PARA + INFINITIVE, VERB
Do you see it? In both examples there is surprise.
It is surprising that someone speaks Spanish well after only one month of studying. Just like it's surprising that a ten year old girl asks very deep questions.
This is also a advanced level use. This use Compare elements and designate which is the best.
In the first example, we are saying that, among the most beautiful cities with a beach in Spain, Valencia is the best.
In example two, we compare delicious paellas and say that the one Rosa's father makes is the winner.
Now you can say that you know the prepositions in depth by and for and their differences.
Bravo! 👏🏻
But the article does not end here. There is much more to say about these prepositions. They are also used to form connectors or expressions.
We start with the expressions and connectors used with by.
«Just in case» is an expression used to indicate that you are doing something like caution or preparation for a possible future situation.
«Just in case the flies» means the same thing, but it's more informal. It would be something like "in case the flies come to bother us, let's get ready."
«Of course» is used to give a affirmation with complete certainty or to answer affirmatively to a question.
a) Are you coming to the party tonight?
b)Of course!
It also serves to indicate that something is evident.
a)Do you love me?
b)Of course I love you!
What is «By end»?
It is an expression that indicates that something that was eagerly awaited for a long time it finally happens or it is achieved.
«For example» is one of the expressions with by most used by Spanish teachers 😁
In fact, it is one of the most used in general. This expression serves to present a specific case of what we are saying.
«By the way» is used to introduce a additional information or clarification about the topic being talked about.
In the second example, in addition to adding additional information, "by the way" is also used toconfirm something mentioned above.
These three are consecutive connectors.
"That's why" and "Therefore" are widely used in oral record.
Although in many cases they have the same meaning (they express consequence) and both one and the other can be used, they have a subtle difference in their meaning.
«That's why» explains the reason for a consequence.
«Therefore» also expresses a consequence, but is used to express a logical conclusion before what happened.
«Therefore» expresses a consequence or a logical conclusion to a series of events. This connector is usually used in a formal registration or in writing.
"For now" expresses that something is temporary and that could change in the future. It is similar to "at the moment."
The connector "finally" used to mark the last in a series of points or to give aconclusion.
What is the "luckily" connector used for?
To say that something good happens in our favor or a situation has ended well.
We have already seen the expressions with by most important in Spanish. Now is the time to see the expressions and connectors with for.
This expression means that there are as many tastes as there are colors. That is, each person likes different things, and we cannot expect everyone to have the same tastes as ours.
This expression means that It's not the right time to do something because there are problems or adverse situations that make it difficult to achieve.
The expression refers to the fact that, when the oven is busy or not working properly, buns cannot be cooked. 🤷🏻♂️
This expression means that a small sample or example is enough to demonstrate something or deduce what remains to be discovered, without having to teach everything.
"To finish" is used when we are finishing an action or a speech.
It can also be used to add one last idea before finishing a conversation or speech.
This expression is used when something negative happens at a time when the situation was already bad. What bad luck!
The expression «not be that bad» is used when someone exaggerates about their situation and thinks they have very big problems. We say it for mitigate the seriousness of the matter.
Perfect! You already know the difference between for and by in Spanish in its uses as in different expressions.
There are also verbs that always have these prepositions.
We start with verbs with the preposition by.
When we get very emotional, we cry. It is usually sadness, but also joy.
Whatever the emotion, there is always a reason that causes our tears to fall down our face. For that we say «cry for».
Sometimes we have several options or actions to choose from, but we don't know which one to take.
Finally, after much thought, we chose one. It is at that moment when we use the verb «finish by».
«Decide for» has a similar meaning to "finish by". After a short or long time of reflection, you take a decision about what to choose or what path to take.
The verb "go out of your way" It means that someone is willing to do anything for someone else to take care of her or make her happy.
He even goes so far as to put the other person's needs and desires ahead of his own.
This verb is used to refer to something you want to achieve or search.
What we want to achieve is not always a physical thing, it can also be an idea or a goal. In this case the preposition is usually added a.
Finally, don't forget that it is also the use of place of passage or approximate location.
«Fight for» means make a great effort and face obstacles to get something that is highly valued or that one desires to achieve intensely.
Do you want to know the verbs that go with for? There are also many. Let's see some!
"Serve for" expresses the utility of one thing or an action.
When we say that someone "is preparing for" something, it means that is taking steps to be ready faced with an upcoming event and overcome it successfully.
You can prepare for an exam, a match, a job interview, a trip, a presentation, etc.
When we work, we do it for a person, company or institution.
«Work for» It is also the process or actions we take to achieve a goal.
"Authorize someone to do something" is to give the right or the permission to a person to do an action that I couldn't do before or that most people are prohibited from doing.
This verb determines that something or someone meets the necessary requirements to participate in a competition or event.
For example, in the sports field, a team qualifies for a competition if it manages to meet the established qualifying bases, such as winning enough games or obtaining a minimum score in a ranking.
This verb means dress elegantly for a special occasion such as a party, a luxury dinner, a wedding or any important event.
How are you? How many things have you learned today about by and for There is nothing better than assimilating new knowledge acquired than by putting it into practice.
To do this, we propose the following exercises with by and for in spanish.
In this activity you have to fill in the gaps by writing by or for in every sentence.
It is an exercise to review the uses of these prepositions, so it is important that you reread the first half of this article to make sure you answer correctly.
Now you are going to practice the expressions with by and for dragging each phrase to the corresponding sentence.
Have these activities gone well? by and for?
For sure yes!
In this article we have worked on depth and rigorous detail of prepositions by and for, why many students get frustrated and confused.
By and for It is always a problematic topic that confuses even students at more advanced levels.
We hope that with this article your doubts will be cleared up and from now on you will start using these prepositions correctly 😊
Do you still want to know more about this curious couple? Then we recommend that you come to Hispania, Spanish school.
Through our face-to-face Spanish courses and our online Spanish courses you will learn everything about by and forand all the grammar necessary to make your Spanish look as if you were a native person.
Before, did you know all the uses of by and for in Spanish? Which ones usually give you the most problems?
Tell us in the comments! 😉
Article written by Carlos Martinez for Hispania, Spanish school.
More articles