Black: Ohmygosh!

How am I ever gonna learn the difference between por and para for my big Spanish test tomorrow!? Falls asleep while studying. [Begin dream sequence] Bl: Wh Where am I? White: Bienvenidos al Mundo de Espaol! Brown: What? W: Welcome to Spanish World. -.- Anyway I hear you dont understand por and para, silly potato! Br: Well, it is kinda difficult W: Silence! You! Say a sentence with por! Bl: But but I dont know how! Br: Just do it hes a bit.. crazy.. Bl: uuh uh Voy al aeropuerto por viajar. Br: uh W: WRONG! Br: Yeah when you express a purpose or goal with a verb, you are supposed to used para plus an infinitve. So say Voy al aeropuerto para viajar. Bl: Oh. Well then.. if thatll be all, then Ill be going W: Excuse me! Where do you think youre going? You havent proved your mastery in por and para. You must remain here, peasant! Bl: Well fine. If Im stuck here, then you gotta ask me questions so I can prove my mastery and stuff. W: Fine. What is the air speed velocity of an unlaiden swallow? Br: Hey! Ill do the asking. You do the stupid interjecting. W: grumbles Br: So. While were talking about para, lets see how much you know. Give me a reason to use para. Bl: Well uh dont you use it for places? Like Viaj para Argentina. W: Close, but no cigar!

Br: Well, you got the sentence right, but it isnt just for places in general. Para is used for expressing destination, like toward, or in the direction of. Por can be used for places too, but it indicates motion or general location, such as around, through, along, or by. For example: Anduve por el parque. I walked through the park. Bl: Oh. So a por sentence could be, Caminaste por el rio. You walked along the river. W: S! Usted eres una papa inteligente! Bl: Im not a potato -.- W: right Bl: Okay, so. Lets see. Would I say Estudio por dos horas. Or Estudio para dos horas. ? W: Potato isnt that smart after all Br: You would say Estudio por dos horas. Por is used for the duration of an action. But para is used for a deadline or a specific time in the future. Bl: Oh! So, you would say, Tengo un examen para el viernes. Br: Good job! W: Potato. Potahto. Papa. Patata KEEP LEARNING! Bl: Wait. I think I got one. Lo hice para mi hermana. I did it on behalf of my sister. W: ESTUPIDO! Por is used for on behalf of or on account of or because of! Not para!!! Bl: Hes intelligent? Br: Yeah. He is. He just doesnt like to act like it. But hes right about that. It should be por. Bl: Okay. So Compr una bolsa por mi hermana. W: Wrong again, silly potato! When someone is receiving something, you use para! Your sister is receiving the bag, so you should say Compr una bolsa para mi hermana. Ja, potato? Br: Again, hes right. Bl: Well, why dont you just tell me one since Im just so bad at it. Br: Well Por is used to indicate the object of a search. Like Fui por mi pez. I went in search of my fish. Bl: Okay. So I could say Vengo por ti. Im coming for you. W: Well thats a bit creepy You are a creepy potato. NOW GET BACK TO LEARNING! Bl: Oh wait! I remember one! I would say Hablo por telfono. Because it indicates the means by which something is done! Br: Yes! Excelente!

W: Yeah, yeah, he got one right. Hes still a stupid potato. Dont get all confident because you got one right! Bl: Wait, I got another. Tengo las notas por el examen. W: I told you not to get overconfident. Nobody likes overconfident potatoes. Especially when theyre wrong. Like you. Bl: Well couldnt you tell me what its supposed to be then? W: No. I dont talk to stupid potatoes like you. Br: Its supposed to be para. Para plus a noun describes the purpose of the noun. Bl: See? That was helpful. And Im not a potato. W: Whatever potato. You have much to learn. Br: So anyway... Theres just two more uses of por. One is with exchange or substitution, or in exchange for. Bl: So like... Ellos pagaron setenta dolares por la cena. They payed 70 dollars for dinner. W: And the potato has breathed intelligent words! Br: Yup. and the last use of por is with units of measure, like per or by. Bl: So... El impuesto es seis por ciento. The tax is 6 percent. Br: Good job! Now, we just have two uses of para left. W: Heh heh heh... Br: Para can be used to make comparisons with others or to give an opinion. Like... Para m, el examen de matematicas fue muy fcil. For me, the math test was very easy. Bl: So... I could say Para un nio, es muy rpido. For a boy, he is very fast. Br: Good! One more. And its easy. Para is used to indicate who someone works for. Bl: Like.. Esteban trabaja para mi abuela. Esteban works for my grandmother. Br: Great! You got it! Bl: Awsome. Now Ill be able to pass my test. Bye! W: Not. So. Fast. Potato. Bl: But... but I proved my mastery. W: Not. Yet. Potato. Sometimes these words are both grammatically correct, but it changes the meaning of the sentence. For instance. What does Caminaste por la escuela. mean? Bl: ...I walked through the school... W: Wonderful! But now, potato, what does Caminaste para la escuela. mean?

Bl: ...I walked to the school... W: Fantastico! Now. Here are the rules we just went over. [to the audience] You! Write them down! Br: Dont listen to him. If you already have then written, you dont have to write them again. [show list of rules] [end dream sequence] Bl: Wakes up. Whoah! Im totally gonna ace that test now. [in school] Bl: Recieves graded por y para test. He got a 100. Yes! Br: Well done. W: Yay Potato!! Potato, Potahto, Papa, Patata, Potato, Potahto, Papa, Patata, Potato Potahto... [fades out]