por and para, qué and cuál

[Αna]

Can someone please help explain to me the difference between por and para and when you would use each? Also for qué and cuál
thanks

[AnnaC]

Here's a thread on para y por

[Chip]

Originally Posted by Αna

Can someone please help explain to me the difference between por and para and when you would use each? Also for qué and cuál
thanks

que - what and cual - which, more or less like it is used in English. Por and para is more complicated of course, see the referenced thread.

[Αna]

I understand that que is what and cual is which, but on my internet school work it says they are incorrect sometimes when i try to use them that way. So i'm confused...
Also i read the whole thread about por and para and i looked at the sentence examples:
1) Can I speak to you for a moment
3) This gift is for you
4) I plan to run for mayor
5) I speak for all the members
1 puedo hablar contigo POR un momento?
3 Para. Este regalo es para ti
4.Depends. I would say "deseo correr PARA la alcaldia.
5. Por. Yo hablo por los miembros.

I don't understand why #1 and #5 are por, is there any kind of rule??

[Keith R]

#5 is easy. for ==> on behalf of.

in such cases, use por

[AnnaC]

Here's an even better thread on por y para

[DavidZ]

I think Ive pretty much got por and para down... but cual and que still confuse me. For example, I read that many times you use cual instead of que... "qual es tu numero"...you would think it should be "que". Also que is used for more that "what"... like before some verbs and in this phrase "que tenga un buenas noches"

[Keith R]

Originally Posted by DavidZ

Also que is used for more that "what"... like before some verbs and in this phrase "que tenga un buenas noches"

In that case, you're using "que" in the sense of "that": "[I wish] that you have a good night."

[John Evans]

the small words are the most confusing - heres an English word for all the Dominicans on here to drop into your next conversation floccinaucinihilipilificatiousness meaning smallness

[guandulera]

Here is a helpful link. Spanish Language, Grammar - Articles