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Module by: Marathon Montrose Ramsey

Summary: The Spanish preposition por and its uses

In passive expressions por indicates the agent "by" whom an action is performed; but if the action be a mental one, the preposition used is preferably de:
Example 1 
El muchacho será castigado por su padre. The boy will be punished by his father.
Example 2 
Este niño es amado de sus padres. The child is loved by its parents.
Example 3 
El fuerte fué tomado por el enemigo. The fort was taken by the enemy.
Example 4 
El universo fué creado por Dios. The university was created by God.
Example 5 
España fue conquistada por los Moros.Spain was conquered by the Moors.
Example 6 
Ese actor ha sido bien recibido por el público. That actor has been well received by the public.
Example 7 
Esta obra está escrita por un autor francés. This work is by a French author.
Indicates manner or means:
Example 8 
El dentista me sacó el diente por fuerza. The dentist pulled my tooth out by force.
Example 9 
Como V. los ha visto por sus propios ojos, puede afirmar que existen. As you have seen them with your own eyes, you can declare that they exist.
Example 10 
Por Fulano conseguí el empleo. I obtained the employment through So-and-so.
Example 11 
Conducía por la mano á un niño de cinco años. She was leading a child of five years by the hand.
Indicates the reason or motive for an action:
Example 12 
Por eso no quiero verle. For that reason I do not want to see him.
Example 13 
Éste peleaba por la vida, aquél por la honra. The one was fighting for life, the other for honor.
Example 14 
No fui al baile por falta de ropa. I did not go the ball for want of clothes.
Example 15 
Por miedo de las consecuencias. For fear of consequences.
Example 16 
Le han despedido po una falta leve. They have discharged him for a slight fault.
Example 17 
Lo hace por vanidad. He does it out of vanity.
Example 18 
No fue admitido por ser católico. He was not admitted, because he was a Catholic.
After the verbs "to go", "to send", and the like, it shows the immediate object of the errand:
Example 19 
El muchacho va por leña, por pan. The boy goes for firewood, for bread.
Example 20 
Me mandó por el médico. He sent me for the doctor.
Example 21 
Vino por su sueldo. He came for his wages.
Indicates opinion, estimation or acceptation:
Example 22 
Le tengo por hombre de talento. I take him for a man of talent.
Example 23 
Le dejaron por muerto. They left him for dead.
Example 24 
Le fusilaron por espía. They shot him for a spy.
Example 25 
Fue ahorcado por ladrón. He was hanged for a thief.
Example 26 
Lo dan por cosa extraordinaria. They represent it as a strange thing.
Example 27 
Pasa por docto. He passes for a learned man.
Example 28 
Cuando yo estaba en España, pasaba á menudo por natural del país. When I was in Spain I often passed as a native of the country.
Example 29 
Le ajusté por mozo de cuadra. I engaged him as stable-boy.
Example 30 
La adoptó por hija. He adopted her as daughter.
Example 31 
Lo toma por concedido. He takes it for granted.
Denotes the space of time during which an action takes place or continues:
Example 32 
Me ausento de la ciudad por un mes. I leave the city for a month.
Example 33 
Me ha prestado el libro por ocho días. He lent me the book for a week.
Example 34 
Hemos pleitado por mucho tiempo. We have litigated for a long time.
Example 35 
Eso apaciguó al rey por lo pronto. That appeased the king for the time.
Example 36 
Eso basta por ahora. That is sufficient for now.
Example 37 
Le condenaron á las galeras por el resto de su vida. They confined him to the galleys for the rest of his life.
Denotes the place through or along which motion takes place:
Example 38 
Entró por la puerta, pero yo le hice salir por la ventana. He came in through the door, but I made him go out through the window.
Example 39 
Vagaba por los campos. He was wandering about the fields.
Example 40 
Como andaba por la margen del río. As I walked along the bank of the river.
Example 41 
¿Por qué calle vino V.? Through what street did you come?
Example 42 
Pasé por Filadelfia. I passed through Philadelphia.
Example 43 
He viajado por Méjico. I have travelled through Mexico.
Takes the place of en, in expressing time or place, but is more indefinite:
Example 44 
Temíamos encontrar por aquel paraje algún buque de guerra. We were afraid of meeting some war vessel in that quarter.
Example 45 
Por diciembre del año pasado despachó á su secretario con instrucciones . . . About December of last year he dispatched his secretary with instructions . . .
Example 46 
V. lo encontrará por aquí, sin duda. You will find it around here somewhere, no doubt.
Indicates exchange of one thing for another:
Example 47 
Le he dado mi perro por su escopeta. I have given him my dog for his shotgun.
Example 48 
He cambiado mi pluma por una nueva. I have exchanged my pen for a new one.
Example 49 
Quiere vender su casa por $8.000. He wants to sell his house for $8,000.
Example 50 
Pide $8.000 por su casa He asks $8,000 for his house.
Example 51 
He pagado $9 por este diccionario. I paid $9 for this dictionary.
Example 52 
Le daré á V. $10 por los dos. I will give you $10 for the two.
Offsets one thing against another:
Example 53 
He traducido la frase palabra por palabra. I have translated the phrase word for word.
Example 54 
Me pagó peso por peso. He paid me dollar for dollar.
Example 55 
"Ojo por ojo y diente por diente." "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth."
Indicates unit of measure or number:
Example 56 
Por docenas. By the dozen.
Example 57 
Á diez por ciento. At ten per cent.
Example 58 
Por mayor y por menor. By wholesale and retail.
Example 59 
Este vapor marcha quince nudos por hora. This steamer runs fifteen knots an hour.
Example 60 
Gano $1.500 por año. I earn $1,500 per annum.
Has the signification of "in behalf of", "in favor of", "for the sake of":
Example 61 
Habló elocuentemente por su amigo. He spoke eloquently in his friend's behalf.
Example 62 
Lo haré por V. con gusto. I will do it for you with pleasure.
Example 63 
Votamos por Cleveland. We voted for Cleveland.
Example 64 
Yo estoy por derechos protectores, mi hermano está por el libre cambio. I am for protective tariff, my brother is for free trade.
Example 65 
Trabajo por el señor A. I work for Mr. A.
Example 66 
Yo haré la guardía por V. esta noche. I will mount guard for you to-night.
Example 67 
Escribo esta carta por mi hermano. I am writing this letter for my brother (as a favor to him).
Example 68 
¡Una limosna, por Dios!1 señor. An alms for God's sake, Sir!
Appeals to something in the manner of an oath, to strengthen an assertion:
Example 69 
¡Por el cielo que está encima de nosotros! By the heaven above us!
Example 70 
Por mi conciencia no lo comprendo. On my conscience I don't understand it.
Example 71 
¡Por Dios! señor, es verdad lo que le digo. By God! Sir, it is true what I am telling you.
Followed by an infinitive, por indicates what remains to be done, without implying, however, that it will be done:
Example 72 
Quedan seis páginas por copiar. There remain six pages to copy.
Example 73 
El tratado está por ratificar. The treaty is yet to be ratified.
Example 74 
Está por ver. That is to be seen.
Example 75 
La contestación está por recibir. The reply is yet to be received.
Example 76 
Cartas por escribir. Letters to be written.
Example 77 
La mitad de la novela quedaba por leer, cuando . . . Half of the novel remained to be read, when . . .
Example 78 
Sin dejar nada por decir. Without leaving anything unsaid.
1. This supplication is so much used by beggars that they have been nicknamed pordioseros. The term used when speaking courteously of them is pobres, "poor persons". Mendigo, "beggar", is only used in poetical or rhetorical style. Pordiosear is "to go begging".

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