give her a kiss for me

Question

Cómo se dice, "give her a kiss for me"? Le dijé a una amiga "dale un beso para mí" y ella me dijo que deba decir "por mi" en vez de "para mi". Si es así, que significa dale un beso para mí? y por que usamos "por" en vez de "para" (en este caso)?

• Title edited - Izanoni1 Dec 23, 2010

Answer 1

Well, the difference between "por" and "para" is pretty hard to explain to non native Spanish in my case... My grilfriend is learning Spanish and I still can't find a clear way to explain every single usage of por and para :S

But I'll try to make a quick difference:

-"Dale un beso para mi" doesn't have much sense, you are saying "give her a kiss directed to myself".

-"Dale un beso por mi" (en mi lugar) is the correct way as you are saying "give her a kiss like I would be doing it".

Hope it helped, but I'm sure someone else will make it more clear.

• It looks clear enough to me :) - Izanoni1 Dec 23, 2010

Answer 2

En algunos casos se requiere "por" si quieres indicar una intención.

En este caso

"para mí" = aim/objective "por mí" = reason/cause

Your kiss came about (as a reason or cause) by you, o por ti. Siempre pienso en la canción "Es por ti" de Juanes para acordarme mejor...

Answer 3

It´s easly if you say "Dale un beso de mi parte" Then you are saying "give her a kiss like I would be doing it".

• it's easy to say.... or more easily expressed as.....:) - FELIZ77 Dec 23, 2010

Answer 4

"¡Dale un beso para mí!"

Give her/him a kiss that is intended/destined for me.

"¡Dale un beso por mí!" - Give her/him a kiss on my behalf.

• Nice and succinct! - Izanoni1 Dec 23, 2010

Answer 5

por is used to say for in the context of 'in the place of', so an obvious example is you buy a regalo por 10 euros, and in this case you are asking someone to give her a kiss in your place, por ti.

Answer 6

Dale un beso por mí.