por/para + infinitive
I'm in a little bit of doubt about whether to use para or por directly before an infinitive. Over a long time, I was always instructed to use para (as I'm sure most learners are). Therefore, a construction like
Llegué temprano a mi oficina para terminar el informe a tiempo.
Naturally, this concerns a specific objective or goal which is specified in the dependent phrase el informe a tiempo (I think that's what you call it- it can't exst by itself).
More recently, during my readings in Spanish, I have come across por + infinitive, which I understand is fairly common in passive constructions, but seems to also have another sentiment. An example is from Basta de Historias, by CNN journalist Andrés Oppenheimer. He uses por + infinitive to convey something probably slightly different to para + infinitive, I read somewhere this means 'to strive to do something'.
Example 1 (page 163)- China había enormes interes dentro del sistema por mantener el monopolio de....
Example 2 (page 207)- Nuestra organización trabajará por detener el proceso de....
If someone could confirm these two examples constitute strive to (maintain and stop resepctively in English), I would be very pleased (as opposed to para + infinitive). In addition, I noticed a posting on this website with an example:
Él lo hizo por complacerte.
Translated this read "He did it to please her", which is a little different to the examples quoted in Oppenheimer's book, so probably a different context.
Cheers
Andrew
1 Answer
I use 'para' to put the 'to' or 'in order to' when it preceeds the infinitive
P.Ej: Escucho musica para entretenerme I listen to music to/in order to entertain myself
I use 'por' where the 'for' would be followed by the verb ending '-ing' in English but in Spanish, as it is not in the present progressive, it would still be infinitive
P.Ej: Recibí un premio por ser buen alumno I recieved a prize for being a good student
I hope this makes sense 
