"Para que" or "por que"

Question

I just spent some time going through SD's wonderful reference section for "Por" and "Para"... something I still have trouble with...

Anyway, I happened to notice under "Para Expressions" and "Por Expressions" the same phrase listed: ¿para qué? = why? for what purpose? ¿por qué? = why? for what reason?

So, should I take this to mean that I can use either "por" or "para" when asking "why"?

Answer 1

One (hardly infallible) way to look it it is that "para" looks forward to the goal/objective while por looks back to the reason/motivation for the action.

Way to go, Samdie! Thinking of it this way really, *really* helps!! - territurtle, Oct 20, 2011

I agree! Thanks Samdie! - Gillygaloo, Oct 20, 2011

Answer 2

You just said it yourself:

Para: Purpose (What will you do with it?) Purposes are more physical. When you say ¿para qué? you are asking what that person wanted the effect to be.

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Por: Reason (Why did you chose to do it?) Reasons are more mental. When you say ¿por qué? you are asking what was the person's motivation to do it.

I hope you can understand this

I can! Gracias :) - billygoat, Oct 19, 2011

Well, I never thought of the 2 being very different, but you explained it well rpem. Thanks! - Gillygaloo, Oct 19, 2011

Purpose, no es purpous. - Jeremias, Oct 19, 2011

Fantastic post, Rpem! The same question had been bothering me and you made it perfectly clear. - territurtle, Oct 20, 2011

Hope you don't mind, but I fixed a couple little typos. ;-) - territurtle, Oct 20, 2011

Sorry for the spelling errors, I always answer in a rush. Thanks for editing! - rpem, Oct 24, 2011

Answer 3

If I understand correctly:

Para qué (for what purpose)

puts the emphasis on the resulting objective (what is the intended outcome of the action),

while;

Por qué (for what reason)

puts the emphasis on the desires (what internal state led the performer to initiate the action).

Do I make any sense

Yes, you do! - joygogo, Dec 25, 2013

Answer 4

Para qué means "For what purpose?"

Por qué means "For what reason"?

In English, "Why" can have both of the above meanings.

However, in Spanish there are separate phrases for each meaning.

Just remember: For what purpose = Para qué.

For what reason = Por qué.