• para- refers to destination, direction
• por- refers to explanation, motivation, or reason

• 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.

• 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.

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? 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 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

• 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.

• The following is a list of verbs that require a preposition between the verb and an infinitive

1. aprender a (to learn to)
2. ayudar a (to help to)
3. comenzar a (to begin to)
4. decidirse a (to decide to)
5. empezar a (to begin to)
6. enseñar a (to teach to)
7. invitar a (to invite to)
8. ir a (to go to)
9. negarse a (to refuse to)
10. resignarse a (to resign ones person to)
11. venir a (to come to)
12. volver a (to return to)
13. acabar de (to have just)
14. acordarse de (to remember)
15. alegrarse de (to be glad to)
16. cansarse de (to tire of)
17. dejar de (to cease to)
18. gozar de (to take pleasure to)
19. olvidarse de (to forget to)
20. tratar de (to try to)
21. consentir en (to consent to)
22. divertirse en (to amuse oneself)
23. empeñarse en (to insist on)
24. pensar en (to think of)
25. tardar en (to delay in)