usando "estar para"

Question

Does "estar para" mean "about" as in "about to do something" or as in "a story about a girl" ??

Answer 1

Yes, what BigMike said. It's about as in 'about to do something'. I frankly probably only remember because BigMike just wrote it, and it's one of those, for me, annoying phrases I have to hear about 20 times before it finally sticks (and I'm only maybe halfway there) but I've had it explained a few times. I think the first time when I said I wanted to know the opposite of "acabo de". Maybe this one will be the magic time to sink in, once and for all.

About, in the other sense, might be expressed with the preposition sobre, or the verb tratar (treats or handles)

hth roger

Answer 2

Yes, estar para + inf = to be about to but estar por + inf = yet to, to have a mind to, to feel like.

You may find this por vs para lesson helpful.

Answer 3

About to do something. Estoy para salir. I'm about to leave.

Bingo. I seem to need a constant reminder of this one, so far, so thanks. - rogspax, Mar 10, 2013