por
/poɾ/
The Spanish word for 'by' is por.
por is primarily used as a preposition to indicate a means. It can also function as an adverb to mean 'through' or 'along' a path or area.
Meaning: indicates a means (prep)
Which one should you use?
While por is used to express 'by' in the context of a means or cause, you should use para when you mean 'for' in the sense of a purpose or destination. In more formal contexts, such as formal writing in Spain, you may see mediante used instead of por to express 'by'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the word mediante is commonly used in formal writing to express 'by' instead of por.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/poɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use para instead of por when trying to express 'by' in the context of a means or a reason.
Did you know?
- Using por in the phrase por favor literally means 'by favor' or 'for the sake of a favor', which is why it is the standard way to say 'please'.
- Spanish speakers use por to indicate a temporary substitute, such as trabajar por alguien, which means to work 'in place of' or 'on behalf of' someone.
- The preposition por is a linguistic doublet of the Spanish word pro, meaning both descended from the same Latin ancestor prō.
Examples in context
- Hazlo por ti mismo.Do it by yourself.This sentence uses por to show how something is done by oneself.Tatoeba #580966 by Shishir, translation #327656 by CK
- Me pagan por horas.I'm paid by the hour.This sentence uses por to indicate the unit of payment.Tatoeba #1761580 by Shishir, translation #258119 by CK
- Pasemos por su casa.Let's drop by his house.This sentence uses por to describe moving through or passing by a location.Tatoeba #1408594 by marcelostockle, translation #466045 by CK
- Envíame la información por medio de correo electrónico.Send me the information by email.
- Me enteré de la noticia a través de la radio.I heard the news by radio.
- Voy a pagar por el libro por tarjeta de crédito.I'm going to pay by credit card for the book.
- Se informó mediante una circular.It was communicated by means of a circular.
- 1630 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are discussing their travel plans.
- Elena¿Vamos al centro por tren?Are we going to the center by train?
- JavierNo, mejor vamos por autobús.No, let's go by bus instead.
- ElenaEstá bien, Javier.That's fine, Javier.
- JavierYo compro los boletos.I will buy the tickets.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “by” translations and entries por, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries por, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
