[Para hoy? / por hoy?] es todo.

Question

Sometimes at the end of lessons, people say "Para hoy es todo" and other times I hear people say "Por hoy es todo". Is one group of people saying it wrong, are they saying different things, or do por/para happen to be interchangeable in this phrase?

What's even more interesting is on the last two (I believe) instructional videos, Paralee says 'es todo por hoy", but all the others is 'es todo para hoy'. - yahvey_hoffman, Sep 6, 2012

Answer 1

I would say that "Es todo por hoy" is the more common expresion...

Answer 2

Shucks! I couldn't get the link to the audio clip to work.

todo para hoy=deadline, submit everything by the end of the day.

todo por hoy= duration, all for today

I personally hate those acronym hints (DREEMS, PRODDS). They are so misleading.

They're 50/50 when you count google hits.

I don't really like acronyms either. I like knowing how the word "feels" different, rather than a list of rules. Can "Para hoy es todo" ever FEEL like "That's all for today"? - Luciente, Dec 13, 2009

Answer 3

I've thought about this asking, and I think the tiny difference is:

Por hoy, es todo. (That's all for the duration of today.)

Para hoy, es todo. (That's all in terms of today. / As for today, that's all)

Thanx Luciente - I'm still having trouble getting my head around the difference but I'll keep your explanation going around 'el coco' and see if it sinks in lol - here's hoping :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jul 29, 2010

Answer 4

I just found this thread because I was wondering the same thing. I believe Paralee often says 'es todo para hoy' whereas on another podcast of Spanish grammar that I often listen to (Spanish Grammar Review) the commentator Molly always says - 'es todo por hoy'.

After reading this I'm still not sure who's right - as both tutors are in the same situation - ending a lesson - so surely one would be right and one incorrect?

Any definitive answers for that particular situation?

Answer 5

Yes, in a few contexts the two are interchangeable, however in many (most!) they are not. Often times people will say "para siempre" or "por siempre" It's just a semantics thing, however both indisputably mean forever in english.