per + lo = pel

Pel and Pels

Level 1

Per and lo join into pel, and per and los join into pels.

How It Works

Two small words become one: per + lo = pel, and per + los = pels. The joined forms are the usual ones. Some writers keep per lo apart, but this course writes pel and pels.

WordsWrittenExample
per + lopelpel pargue (through the park)
per + lospelspels camps (through the fields)
per + laper laper la carrièra (along the street)
per + l'per l'per l'escòla (for the school)

Both meanings of per join in the same way: Aquò es pel dròlle (This is for the child) and Passam pel pargue (We pass through the park).

Pel also exists as a noun that means a hair. It is a different word that happens to be spelled the same, and the sentence shows which one you have.

Examples (5)

  1. Passam pel pargue.

    We pass through the park.

    Pel pargue: per + lo.

  2. Passan pels camps.

    They pass through the fields.

    Pels camps: per + los.

  3. Aquò es pel dròlle.

    This is for the child.

    Pel dròlle: per means for here.

  4. Aquò es pels dròlles.

    This is for the children.

    Pels dròlles: the plural.

  5. Un cafè pel professor, se vos plai.

    A coffee for the teacher, please.

    Pel professor: for whom.

Common Mistakes

  • Joining before a vowel

    Aquò es pel amic.
    Aquò es per l'amic.

    Before a vowel, lo becomes l', and then per stays apart.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

per + lo = pelLevel 1Pel and Pels

Learn This First

Pel and pels are per merged with lo and los, so per and the contraction al come first.

Words in This Pattern

pelpelsperlolos