¿Estoy agradecida por la familia o para la familia? Thanksgiving is the perfect time to practice por and para in Spanish. Watch the video lesson to see two comparisons of por and para in action and start using them confidently this Thanksgiving.
Get into the festive mood because we’re going to cover por and para in Spanish with real-life examples related to the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. Whether you’re talking about a deadline or duration of time or expressing a goal or a reason, mastering por vs. para will make your Spanish sound much more natural. Don’t worry, it’s easier than it seems!
In this lesson, you will learn how to use por and para in Spanish with deadlines and durations of time, a useful comparison, as well as for goals and reasons. Check the two comparisons below and make sure to leave us some comments letting us know how you plan to celebrate Thanksgiving this year using por and para!
Por and Para in Spanish: Deadline vs. Duration of time
A common Spanish error among learners is knowing when to use por and para in Spanish when it comes to time. Guess what? This is a quick fix, and you’ll learn exactly how to use por vs. para. Make sure to use por for almost any reference to a period of time EXCEPT deadlines. On the other hand, use para exclusively for deadlines. Let’s see some examples with Thanksgiving-themed vocabulary to start talking about your upcoming plans this season.
Duration of time = Por
| Example | English | Reasoning |
| Horneo el pavo por 3 horas. | I roast the turkey for 3 hours. | 3 hours is the duration of time. |
| Decoramos la mesa por una hora con velas y hojas de otoño. | We decorated the table for an hour with candles and Autumn leaves. | An hour is the duration of time. |
| Vimos el desfile de Acción de Gracias por la mañana. | We watched the Thanksgiving Day parade in the morning. | A duration of time in the morning; unspecified. |
Deadline = Para
| Example | English | Reasoning |
| Tenemos que terminar la cena para las seis de la tarde. | We have to finish the dinner for 6 o’clock. | The deadline is for 6 PM. |
| Debemos tener todos los ingredientes para la próxima semana. | We must have all of the ingredients by next week. | The deadline is by next week. |
| Queremos tener la casa decorada para el Día de Acción de Gracias. | We want to have the house decorated by Thanksgiving Day. | The deadline is by Thanksgiving Day. |
Comparing Por vs. Para: Goal vs. Reason
Another area of confusion for students learning Spanish is the difference between por for a “reason” or para for a “goal”. Clearly, they are similar concepts, but there is a simple way to think them:
- Use por when the “reason” means “because of” something or someone.
- Use para when you want to express the goal or purpose of something.
For instance, the pie is for my grandmother. In this sense, my purpose is making the pie for her. In fact, she doesn’t know about it yet, so it’s impossible for it to be because of her. Para is also used frequently with verbs, showing the goal behind the action. It often translates to “in order to” when a verb in the infinitive form follows. Let’s check the Thanksgiving-themed examples below.
Goals/Purpose = Para
| Example | English | Reasoning |
| Preparamos la comida para celebrar el Día de Acción de Gracias. | We prepare the food (in order) to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. | The purpose of preparing the food is to celebrate Thanksgiving. |
| Horneo un pastel de calabaza para mi abuela. | I’ll bake a pumpkin pie for my grandmother. | The purpose of baking the pie is for grandma. |
| Los niños hacen tarjetas para agradecer a sus maestros. | The kids are making cards (in order) to thank their teachers. | The goal of making the cards is to thank the teachers. |
Reason/Because of = Por
| Example | English | Reasoning |
| Estoy agradecido por la familia. | I’m thankful for (because of) family. | The reason I feel thankful is because of my family. |
| Los niños están emocionados por las vacaciones que son muy pronto. | The kids are excited about vacation very soon. | The reason they are excited is because of vacation coming up soon. |
| Las tiendas están llenas por todas las ofertas del Viernes Negro. | The stores are full because of all the Black Friday sales | The sales are the reason the store is full for Black Friday. |
How Can I Master Por vs. Para?
Mastering por vs. para doesn’t have to be so difficult! With easy steps and comparisons like the ones discussed in this blog, you’ll be using these two prepositions like a pro. You can check this blog with even more usages of por vs. para. In addition, check out CGI’s Spanish Lab: Por and Para course. In three asynchronous lessons, you’ll deep dive into por vs. para in Spanish, complete homework and quizzes to test your knowledge, and have the opportunity to reach out for support if you are struggling with a particular usage.
