Grammar
Review
, Writing Critically in Spanish
Owner Chelsey Hill
Instructor Jorge
Subject Spanish
Por vs. Para
Lecture #1: Por vs. Para
Para : Used when talking about actions done for or in direction of people, places, and
things
● Destination toward or direction of something
● Describe deadline, or by or for a specific time in the future
● Describe what something someone does in order to achieve a particular goal (Para +
infinitive)
● Describe something that is for or used for a particular purpose (Para + noun)
● Describe for the recipient for whom a object or action is intended
● To take in account a quality in comparison with others or to express opinion
, ● To describe employment or who someone works for
● Expressions–
○ No estar para bromas - To be in no mood for jokes
○ No ser para tanto - To not be a big deal
○ Para colmo - To top it all off
○ Para que - So that
■ Followed by subjunctive
○ Para que (lo) sepas - Just so you know
○ Para siempre - Forever
Por : Used when talking about actions done through or by way of people, places or things
over time.
● Describe motion along, through, around, or by a place
● Describe the duration of an action for or during a period of time
● Describe the reason or motive for an action
● Describe the object of a search, what someone is looking for
● Describe the means by which someone does something
● Explain an exchange or substitution of one thing for another
● Describe a unit of measure for a duration of time
● Describe the agent by whom an action is done (passive voice)
● Expressions:
○ Por ahora - For the time being
○ Por allí/aquí - Around there/here
○ Por casualidad - By chance
○ Por cierto - By the way
○ ¡Por Dios! - For God’s sake!
○ Por ejemplo - For example
○ Por escrito - In writing
○ Por eso - Therefore; for that reason
○ Por fin - Finally
○ Por lo general - In general
○ Por lo menos - At least
○ Por lo tanto - Therefore
, ○ Por lo visto - Apparently
○ Por más/mucho que - No matter how much
○ Por otro lado/otro parte - On the other hand
○ Por primera vez - For the first time
○ Por si acaso - Just in case
○ Por supuesto - Of course
Preterite
Lecture #2: Preterite
● Uses: To describe actions or events that begin or were completed at a specific moment
in the past
● Primary Uses:
○ Completed actions or states
○ Beginning or end of past action
○ Narrate series of past actions
● Ar Verbs:
é amos
aste
ó aron
● Er/Ir Verbs:
í imos
Review
, Writing Critically in Spanish
Owner Chelsey Hill
Instructor Jorge
Subject Spanish
Por vs. Para
Lecture #1: Por vs. Para
Para : Used when talking about actions done for or in direction of people, places, and
things
● Destination toward or direction of something
● Describe deadline, or by or for a specific time in the future
● Describe what something someone does in order to achieve a particular goal (Para +
infinitive)
● Describe something that is for or used for a particular purpose (Para + noun)
● Describe for the recipient for whom a object or action is intended
● To take in account a quality in comparison with others or to express opinion
, ● To describe employment or who someone works for
● Expressions–
○ No estar para bromas - To be in no mood for jokes
○ No ser para tanto - To not be a big deal
○ Para colmo - To top it all off
○ Para que - So that
■ Followed by subjunctive
○ Para que (lo) sepas - Just so you know
○ Para siempre - Forever
Por : Used when talking about actions done through or by way of people, places or things
over time.
● Describe motion along, through, around, or by a place
● Describe the duration of an action for or during a period of time
● Describe the reason or motive for an action
● Describe the object of a search, what someone is looking for
● Describe the means by which someone does something
● Explain an exchange or substitution of one thing for another
● Describe a unit of measure for a duration of time
● Describe the agent by whom an action is done (passive voice)
● Expressions:
○ Por ahora - For the time being
○ Por allí/aquí - Around there/here
○ Por casualidad - By chance
○ Por cierto - By the way
○ ¡Por Dios! - For God’s sake!
○ Por ejemplo - For example
○ Por escrito - In writing
○ Por eso - Therefore; for that reason
○ Por fin - Finally
○ Por lo general - In general
○ Por lo menos - At least
○ Por lo tanto - Therefore
, ○ Por lo visto - Apparently
○ Por más/mucho que - No matter how much
○ Por otro lado/otro parte - On the other hand
○ Por primera vez - For the first time
○ Por si acaso - Just in case
○ Por supuesto - Of course
Preterite
Lecture #2: Preterite
● Uses: To describe actions or events that begin or were completed at a specific moment
in the past
● Primary Uses:
○ Completed actions or states
○ Beginning or end of past action
○ Narrate series of past actions
● Ar Verbs:
é amos
aste
ó aron
● Er/Ir Verbs:
í imos
