para for Purpose and Destination

Level 2

Para points to a goal: a purpose (Estudo para aprender), a person who receives something (É para ti), a destination (o tren para Lugo) or a deadline (para o venres).

How It Works

Purpose

Para + infinitive: Estudo galego para falar coa miña avoa (I study Galician to talk to my grandmother). Para + noun: unha caixa para os libros (a box for the books). When another person is involved, use para que + subjunctive.

Recipient

Este agasallo é para ti (this present is for you), Trouxen flores para a miña nai (I brought flowers for my mother).

Destination and direction

O tren para Lugo sae ás oito (the train to Lugo leaves at eight), Marchou para Alemaña (she went off to Germany), Vou para casa (I'm going home).

Deadline

Necesito o informe para o venres (I need the report by Friday).

Opinion

Para min, o mellor prato é o polbo (for me, the best dish is octopus).

Para min, but para eu + infinitive

On its own, para takes min and ti: É para min. When a subject comes before an infinitive, use the subject pronoun: Trouxo un libro para eu ler (she brought a book for me to read). Galician can also add endings to that infinitive: para lermos (for us to read). See the personal infinitive.

Spelling

In speech para is often shortened to pra, and joined to the article as pró or prá. In writing, the dictionary recommends the full form: para, para o.

Examples (6)

  1. Estudo galego para falar coa miña avoa.

    I study Galician to talk to my grandmother.

    Para + infinitive gives the purpose.

  2. Este agasallo é para ti.

    This present is for you.

    Para + ti marks the recipient.

  3. O tren para Lugo sae ás oito.

    The train to Lugo leaves at eight.

    Para marks the destination.

  4. Necesito o informe para o venres.

    I need the report by Friday.

    Para marks a deadline.

  5. Para min, o mellor prato é o polbo.

    For me, the best dish is octopus.

    Para min introduces an opinion.

  6. Saímos cedo para chegar a tempo.

    We left early to arrive on time.

Common Mistakes

  • Using por for the person who will receive something.

    Merquei estas flores pola miña nai.
    Merquei estas flores para a miña nai.

    To say the flowers are a present for your mother, use para. Pola miña nai means because of her or on her behalf.

  • Using a subject pronoun after para when no infinitive follows.

    Este café é para eu.
    Este café é para min.

    After a preposition use min and ti. Para eu is only possible before an infinitive: para eu ler.

  • Using the Spanish form mí after para.

    Isto é para mí.
    Isto é para min.

    The Galician form after a preposition is min.

How It Connects

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para for Purpose and DestinationLevel 2

Learn This First

Para points to an intended goal and can introduce an infinitive purpose.

Words in This Pattern