Por for Duration,

In English, we usually use the word "for" to talk about time. "I slept for eight hours." In Spanish, por handles that exact role. It acts as a bridge. It connects your action to the amount of time it took. It answers one simple question: "How long?" The beauty of por is its consistency. It doesn't change based on who is talking. It doesn't care if you are talking about one minute or ten years. It stays exactly the same. Unlike verbs, you don't have to conjugate it. Unlike nouns, you don't have to worry about gender. It’s a stable anchor in the sea of Spanish grammar. Think of it like a universal adapter for your time-related thoughts. It just works. You just drop it in before the time quantity and you are good to go. Yes, even native speakers find it refreshing how easy this part is!

1. 1Building a sentence with por is like playing with LEGO blocks. It follows a very logical sequence. You don't need a PhD to figure this one out.
2. 2Start with your verb (the action you did).
3. 3Add the magic word por.
4. 4Add the number or amount of time.
5. 5Finish with the time unit (hours, days, etc.).
6. 6For example: Estudio (Action) + por (The Bridge) + dos (Amount) + horas (Unit). Estudio por dos horas. Boom. You just told everyone how hard you are working. It’s a straightforward path from A to B. No hidden traps. No confusing detours. Just a clear, functional pattern you can use over and over again.

Use por whenever you are describing a period of time. This is the heart of the rule. If there is a duration involved, por should be your first choice.

• Daily Routines: "I run for thirty minutes every morning." Corro por treinta minutos.
• Travel: "We are staying in Cancun for a week." Nos quedamos en Cancún por una semana.
• Work Scenarios: "I worked at that company for five years." Trabajé en esa empresa por cinco años.
• Socializing: "Can we talk for a moment?" ¿Podemos hablar por un momento?

It covers everything from a split second to an eternity. If you are ordering food and want to know how long the wait is, use por. If you are in a job interview explaining your experience, use por. It’s like a grammar multi-tool. It’s useful in almost every real-world scenario you can imagine. Whether you are asking for directions or planning a party, duration matters. And where duration lives, por is the king of the castle.

Now, don't get too carried away. por is great, but it has boundaries. It doesn't like to talk about specific points on the clock.

• Specific Times: If you want to say "at 5:00," do not use por. Use a las. Nos vemos a las cinco.
• Deadlines: If you mean "by Monday," por is out. Use para. El informe es para el lunes.
• Starting Points: If you want to say "since yesterday," use desde. Estoy aquí desde ayer.

Think of it this way: por is for the middle of the sandwich. It’s the filling. It’s the time spent inside the action. It isn't the bread at the start or the end. If you try to use it for a deadline, it’s like trying to use a fork to eat soup. It just isn't the right tool for the job. Keep por for the length, and you’ll be fine.

We all make mistakes. It’s part of the charm of learning! One big one for English speakers is using para. Since "for" can mean many things in English, we often get confused.

• The Para Trap: ✗ Estudié para dos horas. (Wrong!) -> ✓ Estudié por dos horas. (Right!)
• The Omission Mistake: Sometimes people forget por entirely. Estudié dos horas. While people will understand you, it sounds a bit naked. Adding por gives your sentence that polished, native feel.
• Specific Time Confusion: Don't say ✗ Vengo por las tres. if you mean you are arriving at 3:00. That sounds like you are arriving "around" or "for the duration of" three o'clock, which makes no sense. Stick to a las for the clock.

Think of these mistakes as grammar potholes. Now that you know where they are, you can drive right around them. And if you do fall in? Just laugh it off and try again. Even Spanish toddlers get these mixed up sometimes.

You might hear people using durante instead of por. This is a classic "it depends on where you are" situation. In Spain, durante is very popular for duration. Viví en Madrid durante un año. In Latin America, por is much more common. Both are technically correct! It’s like saying "sneakers" versus "trainers."

Another one to watch is desde hace. We use this for things that started in the past and are *still happening*. Vivo aquí desde hace un año. (I’ve lived here for a year and I still do). Use por when you are just focusing on the block of time itself, especially if it's finished or a general amount. It’s a subtle difference, but it helps you sound like a pro. Think of por as the total count on a calculator. Desde hace is more like a live timer that hasn't stopped yet.