Por vs para: choose the relationship, not the English word
Both por and para can translate as “for”, but translating one English word at a time is exactly what makes them confusing. A better method is to ask what relationship the preposition expresses.
Use para for a goal or destination
Para commonly points forward: towards a purpose, recipient, destination or deadline. Compare Estudio para aprender español (I study in order to learn Spanish), Este regalo es para Ana (This present is for Ana), Salimos para Madrid (We are leaving for Madrid) and Es para el lunes (It is due for Monday).
Use por for a cause, route, exchange or duration
Por often explains what is behind an action or the path through it: Lo hice por ti (I did it because of/for you), Caminamos por el parque (we walked through the park), Pagué diez euros por el libro (I paid ten euros for the book), and Estudié por dos horas (I studied for two hours).
This builds naturally on yesterday’s lesson about ser vs estar: in both cases, the useful question is what function the word performs in the sentence, not which English word appears in the translation.
Quick check
Which sentence correctly says “This present is for Ana”?
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