How much to enter?
Which is the right way to say ‘How much to enter?’
¿Cuánto para entrar? Or ¿Cuánto por entrar?
And why?
7 Answers
You can use both por and para:
¿Cuánto por entrar?
"Por" is used to ask for amounts and exchanges. It is one rather specific use of this preposition: "Te doy $1 for eso" (I give you a dollar for/in exchange of that).
¿Cuánto para entrar?
Here, "para" is being used in the most typical manner: to specify destination or purpose. "How much (do I have to pay) in order to get in?
What about "Gracias por todo" which means "Thank you for everything"....? I'm sure there are lots more examples, but that one comes to mind quickly. - Marianne
(Te doy las) gracias por todo (lo que has hecho)
Literally: "I give you the thanks because of what you have done". You are stating the purpose of your "thanks".
¿Cuánto cuesta la entrada?...avoid the entire por/para issue.
None of those short por/para explanations ever make sense to me.
Do you know the one for using para when in English it means "in order to"? How much in order to enter? Sounds great, but the rule is usually wrong.
Are you familiar with using por to mean "in exchange for". How much in exchange for entrance? Sound good to me.
They are stupid ways to learn to me. I think you have to learn by examples in context.
In short, it's time to Google a similar example.
Oops! Hadn't seen Lazarus' post!
¿Quánto por entrar?
¡Muchísimas Gracias!
Do you know the one for using para when in English it means "in order to"? How much in order to enter? Sounds great, but the rule is usually wrong.
Can you give me one single example of a sentence where it is wrong?
Are you familiar with using por to mean "in exchange for". How much in exchange for entrance? Sound good to me.
Ok, don't be sarcastic. The normal method in English is "for", and not "in exchange of", but all uses (over 20) are translated as "for", which is not particularly helpful. My real life example was better:
The doy $1 por esa manzana = I give you $1 for that apple (I give you $1, and in turn, I get an apple)
He pagado $10 por el DVD = I have paid $10 for the DVD (I give the money, and in turn, I get the DVD)
¿Cuánto por entrar? = How much to enter? (How much do I pay, so in turn, I can enter)
Buying things is an exchange after all, isn't it? You give something (money) and you get something in return. The preposition "por" is used for this:
Te cambio esto por eso = I'll give you this for that
Repeated: please, delete.
I am going with para.
Why ? I asked my Spanish teacher the difference between para and por as it always seems to cause confusion.
He said if it is time, an hour, a minute, a month, and year it is por - for everything else use para.
Para is used for purpose events. So to enter it is for the purpose of entering so it is para.
I am sure that " if it is time, an hour, a minute, a month, and year it is por - for everything else use para." will not suffice for the purists and top linquists on here - but for a quick 90% correct most of the time rule it seems to be a good start for me.
