Basic Spanish for the Virtual Student- Section 8
- Para vs. Por
- Question forming adverbs (Interrogative Pronouns)
- Third person and infinitive only verbs
- Qué vs. Cuál
- Relative Pronouns
- Neuter Article
- Verb + Preposition + Infinitive
PARA vs. POR
- From reading several textbooks:
- para- refers to destination, direction
- por- refers to explanation, motivation, or reason
- Examples will be give for both PARA and POR
PARA
- Voy para Nueva Orleans
- I go to New Orleans
- Mañana me voy para el norte.
- "Tomorrow I go toward the north" or "Tomorrow I go to the north."
- Lo hago para olvidar.
- I do it in order to forget.
- Este vaso es para ti.
- This cup is for you.
- Siento un deseo para (nombre de otro significante.)
- I feel a desire for (name of significant other.)
- Este regalo es para mi novio.
- This present is for my boyfriend.
- Masco Rigley's Speariment Gum para no fumar.
- I chew Rigley's Speariment Gum in order to not smoke.
- Para mí, el proyecto no vale mucho.
- For me, the project no to be worth much.
- Necesito terminar el libro para el mediodía.
- I must finish the book by noon.
- Esta tarea es para mañana.
- This homework is due tomorrow.
POR
- Mañana corro por el valle.
- Tomorrow I run through the valley.
- Me voy a Nevada por mi asma.
- I'm going to Nevada because of my asthma.
- Voy por negocios
- I go because of business.
- Estamos andando por la playa.
- We are walking along the beach.
- Tommy y Carrie ganan por un voto.
- Tommy and Carrie win by one vote.
- Tengo una tesis por escribir.
- I have a thesis (yet to be done) to write.
- Estoy por el tratado.
- I am in favor of the treaty.
- Voy a estar en Toronto por tres días.
- I'm going to be in Toronto for three days.
- It works just as well, maybe even better, to say "Voy a estar en Toronto tres días.
- One text recommended using 'por' for time expressions only if it was the start of a sentence.
- Por tres días caminé las calles de Toronto.
- For three days I walked the streets of Toronto.
- Pase por aquella puerta y doble a la izquierda.
- Go through that (far away) door and turn to the left.
QUESTION FORMING ADVERBS (INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS)
| Cómo |
How |
| Cuál |
What |
| Cuáles |
What (plural) |
| Cuándo |
When |
| Cuánto |
How much |
| Cuántos |
How many |
| Dónde |
Where |
| Para qué |
What for |
| Por qué |
Why |
| Qué |
What |
| Quién |
Who |
| Quiénes |
Who |
THIRD PERSON AND INFINITIVE ONLY VERBS
- acontecer- to happen
- llover- to rain
- nevar- to snow
- gustar- to be pleasing
- bastar- to be sufficient
- costar- to cost
- importar- to be important
- ocurrir- to occur
QUÉ vs. CUÁL
- ¿Qué? is closer to "What?" and ¿Cuál? is closer to "Which?"
- ¿Qué pasa? (very similar to our "what's up?" "What is going on?")
- ¿Cuál prefieres? (which one do you prefer?)
- ¿Cuales prefieres? (which ones do you prefer?)
- Two forms of 'what is ...?'
- Qué + ser works for a definition, an identification, or a classification (nationality, ethnicity, sexuality, political alliance, theological or philosophical belief system, etc.)
- ¿Qué es otorrinolaringología?
- Use ¿Cuál es ... ? for all other "What is ..." questions.
RELATIVE PRONOUNS
Relative pronouns have the same spelling and meaning as interrogative pronouns, except that there is no accent marker.
- cual = which
- cuales = which (plural)
- donde = where
- que = that, which
- quien = who
- quienes = who (plural)
- a quien = whom
NEUTER ARTICLE
- lo + adjective
- "lo" is the neuter article
- lo bueno (the good)
- lo suyo (the his)
- lo mio es suyo (What is mine is his.)
- lo + adjective + que
- how good, how well, etc.
- No sabes lo alegre que me siento ahora.
- You don't know how happy I feel now.
VERBS + PREPOSITIONS + INFINITIVE
The following is a list of verbs that require a preposition between the verb and an infinitive
- aprender a (to learn to)
- ayudar a (to help to)
- comenzar a (to begin to)
- decidirse a (to decide to)
- empezar a (to begin to)
- enseñar a (to teach to)
- invitar a (to invite to)
- ir a (to go to)
- negarse a (to refuse to)
- resignarse a (to resign ones person to)
- venir a (to come to)
- volver a (to return to)
- acabar de (to have just)
- acordarse de (to remember)
- alegrarse de (to be glad to)
- cansarse de (to tire of)
- dejar de (to cease to)
- gozar de (to take pleasure to)
- olvidarse de (to forget to)
- tratar de (to try to)
- consentir en (to consent to)
- divertirse en (to amuse oneself)
- empeñarse en (to insist on)
- pensar en (to think of)
- tardar en (to delay in)
That's it! I hope you learned a lot!
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