Understanding when to use por and para with infinitives in Spanish will significantly enhance your ability to express purpose, pending actions, and intentions. While both prepositions can be used with infinitives, they convey distinct meanings that can change the entire message of your sentence.
Por + Infinitive: Expressing Pending Actions
When you use por + infinitive, you’re indicating that something hasn’t been done yet. This construction often implies that the action should have been completed already or needs to be done soon.
Key meanings include:
- Something that remains to be done
- A pending task
- An action that hasn’t been started yet
Examples:
- Tengo tres informes por escribir (I have three reports yet to write)
- La casa está por vender (The house is yet to be sold)
- Hay mucho por hacer (There’s a lot yet to be done)
- El proyecto está por terminar (The project is yet to be finished)
Para + Infinitive: Expressing Purpose
When you use para + infinitive, you’re indicating the purpose or goal of an action. This construction helps you express why you’re doing something or what you hope to achieve.
Key meanings include:
- In order to
- For the purpose of
- With the goal of
- So that
Examples:
- Estudio español para viajar a México (I study Spanish in order to travel to Mexico)
- Trabajo para ganar dinero (I work to earn money)
- Necesito un lápiz para escribir (I need a pencil to write)
- Leo para aprender (I read to learn)
Key Differences Through Parallel Examples
To better understand the distinction, here are paired examples showing how the meaning changes:
- Purpose vs. Pending:
- Tengo trabajo para hacer (I have work to do – expressing purpose)
- Tengo trabajo por hacer (I have work yet to be done – expressing pending status)
- Intention vs. Status:
- Este libro es para leer en clase (This book is for reading in class – expressing intention)
- Este libro está por leer (This book is yet to be read – expressing pending status)
- Goal vs. Incompletion:
- Vine para estudiar (I came to study – expressing goal)
- La tarea está por estudiar (The homework is yet to be studied – expressing incompletion)
Common Contexts and Usage
Por + infinitive is particularly common in these situations:
- Describing household chores: La ropa está por lavar (The clothes are yet to be washed)
- Work-related tasks: Los correos están por responder (The emails are yet to be answered)
- Academic assignments: El examen está por corregir (The exam is yet to be graded)
Para + infinitive is frequently used in:
- Explaining motivations: Viajo para conocer nuevas culturas (I travel to know new cultures)
- Setting goals: Ahorro para comprar una casa (I save to buy a house)
- Describing uses: Este dinero es para pagar la renta (This money is for paying the rent)
Quick Summary
The distinction between por and para with infinitives might seem subtle at first, but it makes a significant difference in your Spanish communication. Por + infinitive helps you discuss tasks and actions that await completion, while para + infinitive allows you to explain your goals and intentions. By keeping these differences clear in your mind, you’ll be able to express yourself more precisely and naturally in Spanish.