# por qué / para qué?



## greyflannel

Could someone explain the difference between these two phrases?  The word-reference dictionary says that por qué is used in direct or indirect questions and gives an example:  Why ( por qué ) did you say that?

It aslo says that para qué is used to mean 'to what purpose' (a qué propósito)  and gives the example:  Why (para qué) did you wear that hat?

I don't see any difference between the two.  In English I could easily say (although it might sound a little stilted):  To what purpose did you wear that hat?  

Any help would be appreaciated.  Thanks!


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## lazarus1907

"Por qué" is used to get reasons.
"Para qué" is used to get objectives.

Obviously, your reasons can be your objectives, and in those cases you could asnwer the same to both questions. But sometimes you have a reason to do something, and you expect to get something else.
¿Por qué has hecho eso? Porque me lo han pedido.
¿Por qué has hecho eso? Porque si no, se puede caer el cuadro.
¿Por qué has hecho eso? Para que no se caiga el cuadro. (not accurately answered, but common)

¿Para qué has hecho eso? Para que no se caiga el cuadro.
Lo he hecho porque me lo han pedido y para que no se caiga el cuadro.
Normally, questions with "por qué" would be answered with "because" in English, and "para qué" questions would be answered with "So that...".

"Por qué" can be understood in many ways, like "why" in English, but to a "para qué" question you cannot answer with "Porque..."; you can only answer with "Para...".


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## YaniraTfe

Hola greyflannel

¿Por qué? Why?                             When you want to know the reason (why)
¿Para qué? = What for?                  When you want to know the purpose/ the aim.

Why do you want a newspaper?      What are your reasons for wanting it?
¿Por qué quieres un periódico?
(I’m surprised that you want a newspaper)

What do you want a newspaper for?                  What do you intend to do with it?
¿Para qué quieres un periódico?
(I wonder what you intend to do with it)

¿Por qué vas al supermercado?
Why do you go to the supermarket?   
Would *not* be a common question. Everybody knows why people go to a supermarket.

¿Para qué vas al supermercado?
What are you going to the supermarket for?
I want to know the purpose: what do you need to buy?

¿Por qué llora la niña? Porque le duele la barriga.                
                                   (It’s the reason why)

¿Para qué llora la niña? Para que su madre le haga caso.   
                                    (It’s her aim/ budget / intention)

Espero que te haya resultado de ayuda.


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## Salsamore

The trouble in English is that we use "why" to ask about _*either*_ the cause (_por qué_) or desired effect/intent (_para qué_). In Spanish, one must make this distinction; fortunately, the examples above suggest a quick and easy rule of thumb:

If you can recast the question as "what for?", use _para qué_.
Otherwise, use _por qué_.
I believe this works without exception because "what for?" in English can _*only*_ be used to ask about desired effect/intent.

(By the way: Saying that _por qué_ is used to find out the "reason" can be a little confusing to native English speakers. We often equate "reason" to either "cause" *or* "desired effect/intent" without realizing that we're using the same word to mean two different things. At first, the distinction between _por qué_ and _para qué_ is difficult for us to understand precisely because we equate "why?" to "what's the reason?" without defining whether "reason" means "cause" or "effect".)


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## greyflannel

Thanks to hola, yanira and salsamore.  Your answers were clear and very helpful.  I waited this long to respond because in the past I've answered to soon and missed thanking everyone.

My next project is to understand lo que, la que etc.  I'll do that on another thread and I hope those answers will be as helpful as yours are.  

Thanks again.


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## greyflannel

I'm sorry, I meant to say lazarus, not hola, and I wanted to add that I'm not sure what 'caer el cuadro' means.  As usual, I didn't think my response all the way through.  If everyone hasn't given up on this theard already, I would appreaciate a translation of that expression.


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## Cheche

Hi,



Salsamore said:


> [...]
> (By the way: Saying that por qué is used to find out the "reason" can be a little confusing to native English speakers. We often equate "reason" to either "cause" *or* "desired effect/intent" without realizing that we're using the same word to mean two different things. At first, the distinction between por qué and para qué is difficult for us to understand precisely because we equate "why?" to "what's the reason?" without defining whether "reason" means "cause" or "effect".)



Althought I have no intention of misleading you, I would say you can find, and quite often too, exactly the same point of view in Spanish everyday speech. For example:

–¿Pero por qué llora la niña?
–Porque quiere que la hagan caso...
(The reason the girl is crying is not a previous cause but an intention for the future, she wishes to be attended)

Besides this remark, which I think could be useful so you don't get surprised when you find this usage, in my opinion *the above posts explain perfectly the difference among "Por qué" and "Para qué"*.

Greetings , Cheche.


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## lazarus1907

greyflannel said:


> I'm sorry, I meant to say lazarus, not hola, and I wanted to add that I'm not sure what 'caer el cuadro' means.  As usual, I didn't think my response all the way through.  If everyone hasn't given up on this theard already, I would appreaciate a translation of that expression.


caer = fall (in this context)
cuadro = picture


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## Salsamore

Cheche said:


> Althought I have no intention of misleading you, I would say you can find, and quite often too, exactly the same point of view in Spanish everyday speech. For example:
> 
> –¿Pero por qué llora la niña?
> –Porque quiere que la hagan caso...
> (The reason the girl is crying is not a previous cause but an intention for the future, she wishes to be attended)
> 
> Besides this remark, which I think could be useful so you don't get surprised when you find this usage, in my opinion *the above posts explain perfectly the difference among "Por qué" and "Para qué"*.
> 
> Greetings , Cheche.


That makes sense to me. In other words, with _por qué_ you can still leave the question open (as Lazarus suggested when he said, "reasons can be objectives"). But with _para qué_ you are asking specifically about the intent or end result.

In that vain, I notice that if you're asked _por qué_, you still have to cast your answer with a pre-existing condition in mind even when talking about intent. In English, it's possible to answer:

Why is the girl crying?
Because she wants attention. (_"porque"_)
So she can get attention. (_"para que"_)
But in Spanish your answer has to follow the form of the question:

_¿Por qué llora la niña?_
_Porque quiere que le hagan caso._ (Is _la_ here standard or _laísmo_? Correct me if I'm wrong.)
_¿Para qué llora la niña?_
_Para que le hagan caso._
If I'm asked, _"¿Por qué ..."_ I can't answer with the Spanish equivalent of "So that they'll pay attention to her"; I have to say "Because she wants them to pay attention to her." And of course, trying to cheat by saying _*"Porque le hagan caso" _ would be completely wrong, and answering with the grammatically correct _"Porque le hacen caso"_  wouldn't make sense. ("She's crying because they're paying attention to her.")

In other words, the answer to _por qué_ is the _*desire*_ for attention (the pre-existing condition that caused her to cry), whereas the answer to _para qué_ is the unrealized attention itself (the intended goal). Granted, it's a subtle distinction but one I thought worth mentioning.


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## lazarus1907

Salsamore said:


> _Porque quiere que le hagan caso._ (Is _la_ here standard or _laísmo_? Correct me if I'm wrong.)


No, it is a perfect sentence, like the rest of your explanation. "Caso" is the direct object, and "le" (a ella) is the indirect: Le hagan caso -> Se lo hagan.


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## Outsider

Salsamore said:


> In that vain, I notice that if you're asked _por qué_, you still have to cast your answer with a pre-existing condition in mind even when talking about intent. In English, it's possible to answer:
> 
> Why is the girl crying?
> Because she wants attention. (_"porque"_)
> So she can get attention. (_"para que"_)
> But in Spanish your answer has to follow the form of the question:


I don't believe it does, actually.


_¿Por qué llora la niña?_
_Porque quiere que le hagan caso._ (Is _la_ here standard or _laísmo_? Correct me if I'm wrong.)
_Para que le hagan caso._
You can ask for a "reason" and get a "purpose" for an answer, just like in English.


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## lazarus1907

Outsider said:


> I don't believe it does, actually.
> 
> _¿Por qué llora la niña?_
> _Porque quiere que le hagan caso._ (Is _la_ here standard or _laísmo_? Correct me if I'm wrong.)
> _Para que le hagan caso._
> You can ask for a "reason" and get a "purpose" for an answer, just like in English.


As I explained before, it is common to get a "para que..." answer to a "por qué" even if it is not very accurate. In a normal conversation is pretty normal; in scientific or formal written texts wouldn't sound very good.


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## Salsamore

_Gracias a Lazarus, Outsider y los otros._ This is good to know.

I tend to think of grammar in very precise terms, so thanks for reading through all my spouting.


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## gramatica

Me pueden explicar lo que significa esta oracion de la cancion "lo siento" por Belinda, por favor?

"Haria todo porque estuvieras aqui"

Mi intento:

Haria todo si estuvieras aqui


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## Forero

"Haria todo porque estuvieras aqui" = "I would do anything because you were here."

"Haria todo si estuvieras aqui" = "I would do anything if you were here."


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## Alz

Yo creo que sería: 

Haría todo por que estuvieras aquí : I would do anything for you to be here

Haría todo porque estuviste aquí: I would do anything because you were here



Un saludo


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## gramatica

Muchas gracias a los dos

Haria todo por que estuvieras aqui es igual que decir "Haria todo para que estuvieras aqui?"

Gracias

Saludos


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## Salsamore

"Que estuvieras aquí" parece algo que se quiere lograr, entonces se debe decir "_*para*_ que estuvieras aquí", ¿no? Me confunde.


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## Cheche

I am going to give you my best try, I think with present seems clearer...

1. 
*Daría todo porque estás aquí*  (ya, ahora)
I would give anything because you are (already) here
...due you are here

2. 
*Daría todo para que estés aquí*  (en algún momento del futuro cercano)
I would give anything _so I can make possible_ you to be here (not quiete now, briefly, tomoro or whenever)
...in order to get you here

3. 
*Daría todo por que estés aquí*  (ahora mismo si se pudiera)
I would give anything whatsoever if you were here (now in this very moment, if possible)
...so you were here

The sentence 1 is quite clear, he (or she) is there at the moment I made my speach. Number 2 expresses somehow my purpose, I would do something so I get someting else. Number 3 is almost a wish, I would do whatever to make possible something is not too probable. It is used mostly in literature, particularly in verse.

Hope it helps , Cheche.


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## gramatica

Thank you very much. Tu respuesta fue muy util.  Ya lo entiendo. 

Saludos


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## lazarus1907

Cheche said:


> *Daría todo para que estés aquí*  (en algún momento del futuro cercano)
> *Daría todo por que estés aquí*  (ahora mismo si se pudiera)


Quizá sea solo yo, pero nunca habría usado el presente de subjuntivo con un condicional en la oración principal. Me suena mucho mejor "Daría todo por que estuvieras aquí".


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## El_Guapo

Yo no supe que puedes decir "Por que" o "Para que".

Is that common in both Spain and Latin America?


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## Cheche

Hola Lazarus:



lazarus1907 said:


> Quizá sea solo yo, pero nunca habría usado el presente de subjuntivo con un condicional en la oración principal. Me suena mucho mejor "Daría todo por que estuvieras aquí".




Sí, he forzado bastante los tiempos en español hacia el inglés para tener estructuras análogas en las tres frases. Como tú dices "Daría todo por que estuvieras aquí" es lo ideal teniendo una condicional como oración principal, a parte de que es una frase preciosa . "Daría todo por que estés aquí" obliga a sobrentender un elíptico o supuesto "conseguir" (por ejemplo) para que la oración fuera gramaticalmente satisfactoria: "Daría todo por _conseguir_ que estés aquí". Al poner   estos u otros ejemplos, mi objetivo fundamental no es otro que aclarar de la manera más sencilla y visual posible la duda que preocupa al que pregunta. En este caso concreto: discernir entre "porque...", "para que..." y "por que...".

Espero haber aclarado tu duda también  y asimismo que no te desagraden demasiado estas licencias que me tomo, caso contrario sinceramente te pido disculpas.

Un cordial saludo , Cheche.


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## Cheche

Hola El_Guapo:



El_Guapo said:


> Yo no supe sabía ("supe" is like you knew once only) que puedes se puede ("puedes" is correct but you better use "se puede", the impersonal form) decir "Por que" o "Para que".
> 
> Is that common in both Spain and Latin America?



At least in Spain you can find them both perfectly, perhaps "por que" is a bit more rare.

Kind regards , Cheche.


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## Salsamore

That was a wonderful explanation, Cheche. Thanks!


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## Alz

gramatica said:


> Muchas gracias a los dos
> 
> Haria todo por que estuvieras aqui es igual que decir "Haria todo para que estuvieras aqui?"
> 
> Gracias
> 
> Saludos


 


Para mí sí que tienen el mismo sentido "haría todo por que estuvieras aquí" y "haría todo para que estuvieras aquí": que estás dispuesto a hacer cualquier cosa para que esa persona esté aquí.

Un saludo


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## šeherezada

Hola a todos!!

_¿*Para qué* vas al dentista? Para arreglarme los dientes. OBJETIVO_
_¿*Por qué* vas al dentista? Porque me duelen los dientes. CAUSA_
__ 
_¿Para qué quieres pagar más? Para asegurar un buen servicio._
_¿Por qué quieres pagar más? Porque tengo bastante dinero._
__ 
_¿Para qué estudias español? Para poder viajar a Espa_ña.
_¿Por qué estudias español? Porque quiero viajar a Espa_ña.
 
_¿Para qué murió el soldado? Para defender a su patria._
_¿Por qué murió el soldado? Por su patria._
__ 
¿Están bien las frases? Me vendrían bien más respuestas posibles a las preguntas para sellar la diferencia entre por y para. 
 
Gracias


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## adrs

šeherezada said:


> Hola a todos!!
> 
> _¿*Para qué* vas al dentista? Para arreglarme los dientes. OBJETIVO_
> _¿*Por qué* vas al dentista? Porque me duelen los dientes. CAUSA_
> 
> _¿Para qué quieres pagar más? Para asegurar un buen servicio._
> Para contratar un buen servicio.
> _¿Por qué quieres pagar más? Porque tengo bastante dinero._
> 
> _¿Para qué estudias español? Para poder viajar a Espa_ña.
> _¿Por qué estudias español? Porque quiero viajar a Espa_ña.
> 
> _¿Para qué murió el soldado? Para defender a su patria._
> _¿Por qué murió el soldado? Por (defender a) su patria._
> 
> ¿Están bien las frases? Me vendrían bien más respuestas posibles a las preguntas para sellar la diferencia entre por y para.
> 
> Gracias


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## Makser

Para mi son perfectamente correctas si ningún matiz.


Un saludo.


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## Alma Shofner

šeherezada said:


> Hola a todos!!
> 
> _¿*Para qué* vas al dentista? Para arreglarme los dientes. OBJETIVO_
> _¿*Por qué* vas al dentista? Porque me duelen los dientes. CAUSA_
> 
> _¿Para qué quieres pagar más? Para asegurar un buen servicio._
> _¿Por qué quieres pagar más? Porque tengo bastante dinero._
> 
> _¿Para qué estudias español? Para poder viajar a Espa_ña.
> _¿Por qué estudias español? Porque quiero viajar a Espa_ña.
> 
> _¿Para qué murió el soldado? Para defender a su patria._
> _¿Por qué murió el soldado? Por su patria._
> 
> ¿Están bien las frases? Me vendrían bien más respuestas posibles a las preguntas para sellar la diferencia entre por y para.
> 
> Gracias



Aunque esté correcta, esta frase: _¿Para qué murió el soldado? Para defender a su patria._
_suena rara.


_


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