How To Use the Preposition Por: Part Two

How To Use the Preposition Por: Part Two

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In this second of a two-part article series, we’ll talk about some more uses of the Spanish preposition por.


Using por to indicate support

Por can express support for someone (or something) in a political or social context. 

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In the first example, the subject expresses support for a politician, while in the second sentence they are in support of a specific group. Por in this context can refer to an individual, a group, or a cause.


Using por to exchange things

We can also use por when we’re talking about an exchange. 

Both subjects above refer to exchanging one thing for another. 

Por can also be used with abstract nouns, such as when thanking someone:

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Here, the subject is exchanging words of gratitude with someone else for performing an action.


Using por to indicate price or amount

Por is also used to talk about the price of something. This happens mostly when the price is not fixed, when referring to a special offer or deal, or if we want to explain the cost of a specific amount of a product. 

The subject in the above example is explaining how much they paid for a specific number of bottles.


How did you do that?

Finally, por can also indicate the means used to perform an action. In other words, it explains how we did something.

Here, the action performed by the subject (llamé a la corte) was by means of a telephone (por teléfono).

And that’s about it! Now you know exactly how to use por in your Spanish sentences.


Written by Humberto Aparicio