Are "para que" and "porque" interchangeable when meaning "so that"?

Question

Title has it all.

Answer 1

The difference is really the essence of por vs para.

Por for a past / motivating reason (I often visualize looking behind you when it comes to por).

Para for a future purpose (again, try visualizing looking forward with para).

porque - for the reason that

para que - with the purpose that

Lo compré porque era barato. I bought it because it was cheap. (reason that led up to it)

Lo compré para que la niña se sienta feliz. I bought it so that the girl will feel happy. (future purpose)

(carrying on Aeribel's theme jeje)

http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/260274/song-lyrics-translation-request Howcome people told me that "porque sea igual" means "so that it is the same"? - SlimNm, Mar 19, 2014

i found this really helpful. Thanks - GabriellaMonique, Mar 19, 2014

You're welcome Gabrielle, slim I've pm'd u :) - Kiwi-Girl, Mar 19, 2014

Answer 2

I'll put an example.

I bought a toy so that my niece has something to play with while I'm babysitting her

Compré un juguete para que mi sobrina tenga algo con lo que jugar mientras la estoy cuidando.

Compré un juguete porque mi.... This is wrong. It makes no sense, so you would have to change the sentence to: Compré un juguete porque estoy cuidando a mi sobrina y quiero que tenga algo con lo que jugar. (I bought a toy because I am babysitting my niece and I want her to have something to play with)

But I've seen "Porque sea igual todo lo que vivimos tu y yo, haría lo que fuera". Why is that correct and not your example? - SlimNm, Mar 18, 2014

@ Slim, in your question, porque means why. - annierats, Mar 18, 2014

According to a previous question I posted, porque actually means (in this context) "so that": - SlimNm, Mar 19, 2014

Now I don't know who's right. - SlimNm, Mar 19, 2014

Answer 3

"Para que" can be used to say something like: "in order to" or "so that" since para in this particular scenario represents a reason, the word "que" added to the first one would mean that it is specifying what the purpouse is.

I don't know if I'm making myself clear since I am a spanish speaker but what I'm trying to say is that the concept of the two words when they are together aims for a reason and purpouse kind of situation.

Para que algo suceda would traslate to "in order for something to happen" which would be the effect of an action and then you would have to specify the cause of such effect but it can also be translated into "so that something will happen" also being an effect of an action but mentioned after the cause has been explained.

You make perfect sense. :) - rac1, Mar 19, 2014