This comes from the Travelogue 5.4. Interesting. Why is it para for the first and por for the second? Thank you!
Para llevarlos vs. por guiarlos
Steven-W15
May 17, 2020
Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor
May 24, 2020
¡Hola Steven-W15!
Excellent question! Por and para can certainly cause some headaches for Spanish learners, but there is usually a reason behind their use.
Both por and para can be used before an infinitive, but they have slightly different meanings when they are:
- Por is more like "for" / "as a result of" / "because," and it is also often used for actions that have yet to take place (e.g. Queda mucho por hacer "(There) remains much to be done."). If it helps to boil it down to feeling, por usually has a feeling of looking backwards.
- Para, on the other hand, generally has the meaning "in order to" and is often used when you're talking about a goal or a purpose. Para usually has a feeling of looking forwards.
So, let's take a look at the sentences in 5.4:
¿Cuánto nos cobra por guiarnos?
"How much will (you) charge for guiding us?"
Normalmente cobramos veinticinco dólares para llevarlos a los grabados [...]
"Normally, (we) charge $25 to take (you) to the carvings [...]"
In the first one, por is being used because the meaning is "for" (i.e. "for doing something"). In the second sentence, para is being used because the meaning is more "in order to"; it sounds more goal-oriented.
These differences might sound very subtle, and in fact, they are. In general, you could use cobrar followed by por or by para - just like you can charge "for doing" things or charge "to do" things in English. It only depends on that slight difference in meaning that you want to give your sentence.
I hope that that is helpful! Do let me know if it still doesn't make sense. :)
Saludos,
Liss
Excellent question! Por and para can certainly cause some headaches for Spanish learners, but there is usually a reason behind their use.
Both por and para can be used before an infinitive, but they have slightly different meanings when they are:
- Por is more like "for" / "as a result of" / "because," and it is also often used for actions that have yet to take place (e.g. Queda mucho por hacer "(There) remains much to be done."). If it helps to boil it down to feeling, por usually has a feeling of looking backwards.
- Para, on the other hand, generally has the meaning "in order to" and is often used when you're talking about a goal or a purpose. Para usually has a feeling of looking forwards.
So, let's take a look at the sentences in 5.4:
¿Cuánto nos cobra por guiarnos?
"How much will (you) charge for guiding us?"
Normalmente cobramos veinticinco dólares para llevarlos a los grabados [...]
"Normally, (we) charge $25 to take (you) to the carvings [...]"
In the first one, por is being used because the meaning is "for" (i.e. "for doing something"). In the second sentence, para is being used because the meaning is more "in order to"; it sounds more goal-oriented.
These differences might sound very subtle, and in fact, they are. In general, you could use cobrar followed by por or by para - just like you can charge "for doing" things or charge "to do" things in English. It only depends on that slight difference in meaning that you want to give your sentence.
I hope that that is helpful! Do let me know if it still doesn't make sense. :)
Saludos,
Liss
Steven-W15
May 26, 2020
Very helpful as always, Liss. Thank you!
Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor
May 27, 2020
¡De nada, Steven-W15! Es siempre un placer. :)
Hasta la próxima,
Liss
Hasta la próxima,
Liss
Steven-W15
October 9, 2020
Nice that we can go back and look at previous threads here. I needed a reminder on this one going through the course again! :)
Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor
October 13, 2020
¡Hola Steven-W15!
Yes, indeed, it's handy that these resources can always be revisited!
I'm not sure if you've noticed, but we actually have an entirely new lesson on por vs. para in the updated version of Rocket Spanish Level 2; this might be useful if you're interested in having a little refresher practice with these prepositions.
Saludos,
Liss
Yes, indeed, it's handy that these resources can always be revisited!
I'm not sure if you've noticed, but we actually have an entirely new lesson on por vs. para in the updated version of Rocket Spanish Level 2; this might be useful if you're interested in having a little refresher practice with these prepositions.
Saludos,
Liss