Por - Through or Along

When we use por to talk about space, we are describing a path. It captures the essence of transit. Unlike para, which is obsessed with the final goal, por is much more relaxed. It cares about the scenery. Imagine you're walking. If you say vou para o parque, you're telling me your destination. But if you say vou pelo parque, you're telling me you're currently inside it, moving from one side to the other. It’s the difference between arriving at a party and actually dancing through the room. In English, we often translate this as "through," "along," "by," or "via." The key is to visualize a line moving through an area or following a border. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes when they're in a hurry, so don't sweat it too much! Just remember: por is the route.

1. 1Using por isn't just about the word itself. You have to handle its contractions. It loves to merge with articles. If you don't use these, you'll sound like a robot from an old sci-fi movie. Here is how you build them:
2. 2Take the preposition por.
3. 3Add a definite article (o, a, os, as).
4. 4Smash them together to get pelo, pela, pelos, or pelas.
5. 5por + o = pelo (through the - masculine singular)
6. 6por + a = pela (through the - feminine singular)
7. 7por + os = pelos (along the - masculine plural)
8. 8por + as = pelas (along the - feminine plural)
9. 9You’ll also see it with indefinite articles like por um or por uma, but they don't contract. They stay separate. Think of the contractions as the smooth paved road and the separate words as the gravel path. Both get you there, but one is a bit more standard.

There are four main scenarios where por (or its contractions) shines in a spatial context.

• Movement Through a Space: When you enter one side and exit the other. Entrei pela porta (I entered through the door). It’s perfect for windows, tunnels, and doors.
• Movement Along a Path: When you are following a line. Caminhamos pela praia (We walked along the beach). You aren't necessarily going *into* the ocean; you're just following the edge of it.
• Passing By a Location: When you move past something. Passamos por Lisboa (We passed through/by Lisbon). You might have stopped for a coffee, but you were mostly just transit.
• Vague Areas: When you are wandering around an area without a strict destination. Andamos pela cidade (We walked around the city). It’s that aimless Saturday afternoon vibe we all love.

In a job interview, you might say you've traveled por vários países (through various countries). When ordering food, you might ask the delivery driver to come pela entrada lateral (through the side entrance). It’s all about the transit.

This is where things get tricky. Avoid por if you are talking about a static location. If you are *at* the park, use no (em + o). Estou no parque means you are there, perhaps sitting on a bench. Estou pelo parque implies you are moving around within it.

Also, don't use it for a fixed destination. Vou por São Paulo means you are passing through the city on your way to somewhere else (like Rio). Vou para São Paulo means that's where you're stopping to live your best life. Think of it like a grammar traffic light: para is red (stop there), and por is green (keep moving).

• Forgetting Contractions: Saying por o caminho instead of pelo caminho. It’s a classic learner mistake. It won't break the conversation, but it's like wearing socks with sandals—people will notice.
• Confusing with 'Para': Using por when you mean destination. If you tell a taxi driver Vou pelo aeroporto, he might just drive you around the terminal and keep going. Use para if you actually want to catch your flight!
• Overusing 'Através de': Many learners use através de for "through." While not technically wrong, it sounds very formal or scientific. In daily life, pela or pelo is much more natural. Save através de for when you're looking through a microscope.

Let’s compare por with pela and em.

• Passo por aqui (I pass by here) vs. Passo pela rua (I pass through/along the street). The difference is just the specificity of the article.
• Caminho na rua (I walk in the street) vs. Caminho pela rua (I walk along the street). Na is more about the physical surface you are on. Pela is about the route you are taking.
• Por vs Através de: Passei pela janela (I went through the window—maybe you forgot your keys) vs. Olhei através da janela (I looked through the window). Use através de for sight or abstract things, and por for physical movement.