difference between 'a' and 'para'
Hello All,
I just started to go through the lessons and I bumped into this sentence: 'Juan da el pastel a Jaime'
Can you please explain me why 'a' is used here and not 'por'?
Muchas gracias 
6 Answers
Not that can be used interchangeably, but if someone says:
(Te) Doy un pastel a tí = I am giving you a cake/pastry to you
(Te) Doy un pastel para tí = I am giving you/I give you a cake/patry for you
In Spanish as in English, you understand the first phrase, as the cake might be for you, you actually need more context to determine that, whereas the second phrase is more definite, the cake is for you.
I understood that it is pretty much interchangable with 'a', as in 'Doy un pastel a tí / Doy un pastel para tí'
Para is wrong there.
Dar already includes "to" a does not mean "to" or "for" there although "a" can mean "to" and "for" in certain circumstances.
Tengo un pastel para ti y te lo daré. Te lo daré a ti esta manzana.
This usage cannot be simply understood by this paragraph, you must study more to grasp it. 
Dar = to give or to give to
A = personal A.
There is nothing to do with para in there.
(Te) Doy un pastel para tí = I am giving you/I give you a cake/patry for you
But you are really saying "Te doy un pastel (y este pastel es) para ti"
Te doy a ti algo para ti - but that's really just hammering the point home.
I'm on it
Thanks for the examples!
Hello, thanks for your answer.
Though para is not a part of this sentence, I understood that it is pretty much interchangable with 'a', as in 'Doy un pastel a tí / Doy un pastel para tí' and I don't really get the hang of when to use which..
