Questions on Advanced Spanish Course, Section 3, Exercise 2

I have a few questions on Section 3, Exercise 2: Exercise 2, # 4 has "Mercedes busca un par de zapatos especial "para" su esposo, quien trabaja "para" una compan(forgot where the n^~ is located)ia de costruccion"---I had put "por su esposo" since I thought this was the gift usage of "por". Why is it "para" here? Exercise 2, #5 "...pero si not te gusta podemos ir "para" la otra fiesta." I don't know what "...ir para la otra fiesta" means. Which usage of "para" is this? Exercise 2, #7 --"...no se que puedo hace "para" agradecerte". I think this is suppose to mean--I don't know how to thank you or acknowledge you???. If so, why is para used instead of por? Thank you, Henk Roelant

Hola Henk. I too still have trouble with "por" vs. "para," but I can answer the first of your three questions. When you say that a gift is for someone, it's always "*para*" alguien. Este regalo es *para* ti - This gift is for you. However, when you thank someone for something, you thank them "*por*" algo. Thus, "muchas gracias *por* el regalo."

Hola otra vez. I've now had a chance to look at the exercises you mentioned, and I think I can answer your other two questions, though I'm more confident about one than about the other. The one I'm less confident about is #5: Vamos ____ una hora, pero si no te gusta podemos ir ____ la otra fiesta. The first blank gets filled in with por because (I think) it's referring to duration, while the second blank takes para because it's referring to destination. Thus, the sentence means (I think :) ) "We're going for an hour, but if you don't like it, we can go to the other party." As for #7, Mil gracias ____ ser tan amable, no sé que puedo hacer ____ agradecerte, "por" should be in the first blank because gracias always takes por, while the second blank needs para because the meaning is "in order to." Thus (translating pretty literally), "A thousand thanks for being so kind, I don't know what I can do (in order) to thank you."

Thank you for the reply. I will think on your answers. Henk