Por Vs. Para: A Guide To Portuguese Prepositions
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Understanding the difference between por and para is essential for speaking Portuguese correctly.
Both of these prepositions frequently translate to the English word “for”.
This shared translation often causes confusion for English speakers.
However, por and para serve completely different functions in a sentence.
I’ll break down the exact contexts for each preposition so you can use them with confidence.
Table of contents:
Contractions with por and para
Before looking at the rules, you need to know how these prepositions change when combined with words like “the”.
In Portuguese, prepositions frequently combine with definite articles (o, a, os, as).
The preposition por always contracts with definite articles in both written and spoken Portuguese.
Here’s how por changes:
| Preposition + article | Contraction | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| por + o | pelo | for the / by the / through the (masculine singular) |
| por + a | pela | for the / by the / through the (feminine singular) |
| por + os | pelos | for the / by the / through the (masculine plural) |
| por + as | pelas | for the / by the / through the (feminine plural) |
The preposition para doesn’t formally contract with articles in written text.
However, in spoken Portuguese (both in Brazil and Portugal), natives constantly shorten para and merge it with articles.
Here’s what you’ll hear in everyday conversation:
| Preposition + article | Informal spoken contraction |
|---|---|
| para + o | pro |
| para + a | pra |
| para + os | pros |
| para + as | pras |
When to use para
The preposition para is generally used to indicate an endpoint, a destination, or a final goal.
Think of para as pointing an arrow toward an outcome.
Here are the specific situations where you must use para.
Destination or direction
Use para when you’re traveling to a specific physical location.
It indicates where you’re going.
Eu vou para Portugal.
Nós viajamos para a praia.
Recipient of an object or action
When you give a gift or direct an action toward someone, use para.
This translates directly to “for” in English.
Este presente é para você.
Eu comprei um café para a minha mãe.
Purpose or goal
Use para when explaining the reason you’re doing something.
In these cases, it often translates to “in order to”.
You’ll usually see para followed directly by an infinitive verb.
Eu estudo para aprender.
Nós trabalhamos para ganhar dinheiro.
Deadlines and time limits
If something is due at a specific future time, use para.
O trabalho de casa é para amanhã.
A reunião está marcada para sexta-feira.
When to use por
While para is about endpoints, por is about the journey, the process, or the cause.
Think of por as the movement along the way or the reason behind an action.
Here are the specific situations where you must use por.
Movement through a place
Use por (or its contractions pelo/pela) when passing through or by a location.
Eu caminhei pelo parque.
Nós entramos pela janela.
Duration of time
When you talk about how long an action lasts, use por.
Eu dormi por oito horas.
Eles moraram no Brasil por dois anos.
Exchange and price
Use por when trading one thing for another or paying a specific price.
Eu comprei este livro por dez euros.
Vou trocar o meu carro por uma mota.
Cause or reason
When an action happens because of something else, use por.
Estou feliz por você.
Ela chorou por alegria.
Passive voice
Use por to express who performed an action in a passive sentence.
In this context, it translates to “by”.
O livro foi escrito por ele.
O bolo foi feito pela minha avó.
Summary of differences
To make things simple, keep this quick reference table in mind.
It’ll help you remember the core differences at a glance.
| Use para for: | Use por for: |
|---|---|
| Destination (traveling to a place) | Movement (passing through a place) |
| Recipient (giving something to someone) | Exchange / Price (trading or buying) |
| Purpose (in order to do something) | Cause (because of something) |
| Deadlines (due by a certain time) | Duration (lasting for an amount of time) |
| Passive Voice (done by someone) |
