Today you will learn about “por” and “para” in the Spanish language. I have a very learning Spanish story to tell you that will illustrate the importance of learning when to use “por” vs. “para.”

You may remember that back in “julio” (July) a friend of mine from the States came to visit me here in Medellín, Colombia. His name is Harry. Harry had been studying Spanish on his own for close to two years and he had also studied Spanish in college.

Harry was not only here to visit me, but to also visit a “Colombiana” who he met on-line at a Colombian personals or dating site. The woman who he describes as his “media naranja” (soulmate, but literally “half of orange”). She has described Harry to me as her “príncipe azul” (knight in shining armor or prince

charming, but literally “blue prince”).

Well Harry came to visit me and his Colombian “novia” (girlfriend) again this weekend. Last night, he made what I would consider one of the funniest learning-Spanish mistakes that I ever heard.

This story is 100% true.

Harry, his “novia,” her “amiga,” and I, the four of us went to a “discoteca” (in Latin America the word “discoteca” is used for night club). The “discoteca” is called Mangos and is very popular among “turistas” (tourists) who visit Medellín, Colombia. “Turistas” from all over the world who visit Medellín, Colombia always make sure that they visit Mangos.

Besides music, there is a lot of other entertainment such as “bailarinas” (dancers) and dancing “enanos” (dwarfs/little people) on the stage.

Allegedly, at one time Mangos was owned by Pablo Escobar (the former billionaire Colombian drug lord who in 1989 Forbes magazine listed as the world’s 7th most richest person.)

Now let me tell you about this “gracioso” (funny) mistake that Harry made with his Spanish…

As you may already know there are two ways in Spanish to say the English word “for:” “Por” and “para.” And you can completely change the meaning of a phrase between your choice of “por” or “para.”

Last night Harry was feeling really confident about his Spanish and insisted that I did not speak for him or translate for him.

Well when we arrived at Mangos, Harry walked up to the “taquilla/ventanilla” (ticket window) to purchase the “entradas” (tickets) for himself and his “novia.”

The “muchacha” (girl) working at the “taquilla/ventanilla” (ticket window) was only able to see me and Harry and could not see the two woman with us.

This is the conversation that took place between Harry and the “muchacha” (girl) working at the “taquilla/ventanilla.”

Harry: Quiero pagar por mi entrada. Y quiero pagar por una mujer. Cuánto cuesta por una mujer?

Harry: I want to pay for my ticket to enter. And I want to pay for a woman. How much does it cost for a woman?

Muchacha: No es así acá.

Muchacha: It is not like that here.

Harry: Cómo? Quiero pagar por una mujer.

Harry: What? I want to pay for a woman.

Muchacha: No es así acá.

Muchacha: It is not like that here.

Harry: Yo quiero pagar por una mujer.

Harry: I want to pay for a woman.

Muchacha: Tu no puedes. No es así acá.

Muchacha: You can’t. It is not like that here.

Harry: Cómo? Entonces es gratis por las mujeres.

Harry: What? Then it is free for women.

By now you can hear the frustration in Harry’s voice. And the “muchacha” is beginning to sound very annoyed with Harry. And I am standing in the “fila/cola” (line) right behind Harry and I am laughing hysterically.

The exact same conversation goes on for another 30 seconds or more with Harry sounding almost as if he is shouting and with the “muchacha” beginning to sound increasingly “enojada” (angry).

Harry: Quiero pagar por una mujer!

Harry: I want to pay for a woman!

Muchacha: Ya le dije que no es así acá.

Muchacha: I already told you that it is not

like that here!

Harry: Entonces es gratis o que!

Harry: Then it is free or what!

At this point I am almost on the floor laughing uncontrollably. And that’s when the “muchacha” calls “la seguridad” for the “discoteca” and a big burly bouncer walks over.

I could not hear everything she was saying because I was too busy laughing but I did hear her say to the bouncer something about a “gringo loco” (crazy American) while pointing to Harry.

Now I realized that things were getting out of hand and I needed to step in and explain to the “muchacha” what Harry was trying to say. I told her:

Él no quiere pagar POR una mujer. Quiere pagar PARA una mujer.

(He doesn’t want to pay for a woman. He wants to pay for a woman.)

Let me explain the difference between the two.

Although both sentences translate as “he wants to pay for a woman” they have very different meanings.

“Para” which can be translated as the English word “for” can be used to express the recipient of an action. “Para” can be used to tell both where and whom something is going. The recipient always follows “para”:

Quiero pagar (la entrada) para una mujer.

I want to pay for a woman (to enter).

“Por” which also means the English word “for” can be used when you want to express an exchange of money or something else “for” something of equal value.

So “quiero pagar por una mujer” means “I want to exchange money in order to receive a woman.” It is a lot like saying “I want to buy a woman.”

Desafortunadamente (unfortunately) many Americans and other “extranjeros” (foreigners) come to Colombia just to take advantage of the “Colombianas.” They are incredibly beautiful women, especially “las Paisas” (women of Medellín) but it is common for “Colombianas” ranging from college students to single mothers to work as “prostitutas” because of the “pobreza” (poverty) in Colombia.

So when Harry with his Gringo accent said “quiero pagar por una mujer” the “muchacha” assumed that Harry wanted to pay for the services of a “prostituta.”

So the lesson that I hope you learned here is that “por” and “para” are grammatically interchangeable many times. You can use either one and end up saying a sentence that is grammatically correct.

But you can completely change the meaning of a phrase by your choice of “por” or “para.” And the Spanish listener will not be able to read your mind and will assume that you actually mean what you say. So you have to be careful about using the one that expresses what you really want to say otherwise, at best, you may be misunderstood. And at worst, you may offend or insult a Spanish speaker.