oxxo
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Para/Por
Can someone help me with how and when to use "para" and "por". These always confuse me. Thanks. 
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bajajudy
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This is taken directly from my notes at Se Habla...La Paz
Para-destinations, limitations, purpose
Por exemplo
El avion salio para Cuba
El regalo es para Maris
Luis estudia para abodago
Por-through, along
Viajamos por Cuba
El barco paso por la costa
El ladron entro por la ventana
Por-with the verbs mandar, ir, venir salir, volver is used with the reason for the action.
Luis fue por agua
Venimos por su hermano
Carlos salio for el doctor.
My guess is someone can come up with some more.
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Loretana
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Para/Por
The general concept behind para is aim, goal, destination, either real or figurative.
Para is used to express:
Purpose, aim, in order to
Mi hermano estudia para ingeniero.
Motion toward a specific destination
Las mujeres iban para el mercado.
Use, or suitability. For whom or what something is meant.
Este pastel lo hice para Oxxo.
Deadlines or a definite point in time.
Faltan diez minutos para las tres.
Compared with, considering that..
Hace mucho calor para noviembre.
To be about to, or on the verge of something..
Estamos listos para salir.
There are two basic concepts behind por.
One involves the subject's feelings and explains the motivation or reasons for an action; the other deals with the physical aspects of an action and
introduces details such as approximate time, location, as well as the means of performing the action.
Motivation, reasons, compulsion.
No pudimos ir por el mal tiempo.
Feelings or attitudes of the subject toward a person or thing.
Estoy cien por ciento por el candidato.
The object of an errand, usually used with ir, venir, mandar, enviar
Vine por el libro.
Approximate location or time..
Pasamos por la avenida.
Correspondence and rate..
Tres por cuatro son doce.
Means, manner, agent..
El pueblo entero fue destruido por la tormenta.
Incompleteness..
Hay mucho trabajo por hacer.
Some of this gets tricky. I find that by listening constantly to spanish spoken when I am at home, or driving, etc. that it just sort of gets into
your head by default. After a while, it just ...clicks....
But, hey, nobody said this was easy! 
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bsurfsd
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i highly recommend the book 501 Verbs. there is one for every language (almost) but spanish has only around 30 irregular verbs so the book is easy to
comprehend and also has an excellent explanation of grammar, including por y para
B
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Oso
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Good replies all. Here's a helpful website:
http://www.caslt.org/research/spgrammar.htm#por
It takes a good memory and lots of practice. After 43 years, I still screw them up.
All my childhood I wanted to be older. Now I\'m older and this chitn sucks.
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oxxo
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| Quote: | | Originally posted by lencho?Por dios! ?Para qu? diantres quieres saber eso? |
Just trying to be a better student of Spanish.
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pargo
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In a most basic way por means by 'way of' or 'through' example: crusamos por la frontera-we crossed through the border. Nos venimos por la quota-we
came through the toll road. Para means' para mi, para ti, para todos-for me, for you,for everyone. That'll get you by most instances. There are some
pretty aggressive language guys on this post who will probably jump all over my reply but I promise these basic examples are all you need to get by
unless you're actually studying spanish...In that case you can correct us all.
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Oso
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Nada de brincos, carnal. Sounds good. The simpler you can break it down so it sticks, the better.
All my childhood I wanted to be older. Now I\'m older and this chitn sucks.
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