The Spanish words ‘por’ and ‘para’ can be confusing for English speakers since they can both be translated as ‘for’ in most cases. Unfortunately, there is no definite rule to distinguish them, so you’ll have to memorize the specific cases where each one is used. There are, however, some general guidelines. Keep in mind that ‘por’ is more common and is used in much more varied constructions than ‘para’, so if you’re doubting, your best shot is to go with ‘por’.