Por vs para - exceptions?
I was reading this article https://www.spanishdict.com/guide/quick-tips-for-understanding-por-and-para which discusses about the usage of "por vs para".
It says that "por" (vamos a caminar por 15 minutos) is used for duration where "para" would be used as a deadline (Necesito eso para lunes).
But then, if I say "I'll see you tomorrow morning", you get " Te veo mañana por la mañana.
For me, "tomorrow morning" is clearly a deadline.
Can someone explain this exception so I don't see it as an exception any longer?
Cheers, Jeff
5 Answers
I don´t consider this an exception to the usage but simply another usage. "Por la mañana" is just the opposite of a deadline because it means sometime during the morning without a specific time given. For this we can also say "durante" or just "en" "la mañana" and it has basically the same nuance.
If you substitute the word "by" you will see the difference.
I need to have this done by the morning. (para)
But your sentence was "I'll see you tomorrow morning." It is unlikely that by this you mean "I will see you by tomorrow morning". but rather "I will see you in the morning." That means sometime during the morning tomorrow, which would make it por.
"By" a certain time......para
"In" a certain time.....por
Te veo por la mañana.
Te veo en la mañana.
Te veo de mañana.
Te veo mañana de mañana.
Te veo mañana por la mañana.
All of the above mean I'll see you tomorrow morning. You can hear all of them though I don't know if they are all correct. The "por" here is part of a fixed expression "por la mañana. ".
Ok ok - Thank you all !
