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para

Spanish, preposition

para is spelled P-A-R-A (4 letters) and appears 8,318 times per million words in written Spanish, the 18th most frequent Spanish word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). Para is a Spanish preposition meaning “for, to (expressing a recipient)” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). It is also a third-person singular present indicative of parar. With an accent, pará is a different word: “second-person singular voseo imperative of parar”. The Spanish Wiktionary (Wikcionario) defines it as “Indica el objetivo o finalidad de la acción”.

What does para mean in English?

preposition

  1. 1

    for, to (expressing a recipient)

    La niña compró un regalo de navidad para su abuela.

  2. 2

    to, in order to, so, for (expressing the intended purpose of an action)

    Estudio cada noche sin descanso para conseguir un trabajo decente al fin de todo esto.

  3. 3

    by, due, due on, due by (expressing a deadline)

    Necesito tu decisión para fin de mes.

  4. 4

    for (expressing contrast from what is expected)

    Para un turista americano, él es en realidad bastante respetuoso.

  5. 5

    for, to, in one's opinion, as far as one is concerned (expressing an opinion, perception or perspective)

    Para mí, la música es lo único bueno sobre esa película.

  6. 6

    for (expressing using one's efforts for a group or an authority figure such as a sports team or a company/boss)

    Mi sobrino juega para el equipo de los Patos Poderosos.

  7. 7

    come (used to indicate a point in time at or after which a stated event or situation occurs)

    Para septiembre, me estaré quedando atrás.

  8. 8

    toward (indicates direction)

    ir para arriba / abajo / la izquierda / la derecha / delante / detrás

noun

  1. 1

    derogatorymasculineparamilitary

verb

  1. 1

    third-person singular present indicative

  2. 2

    second-person singular imperative

verb

  1. 1

    first/third-person singular present subjunctive

  2. 2

    third-person singular imperative

prefix

as para-
  1. 1

    para-

verb

as pará
  1. 1

    second-person singular voseo imperative of parar

Source: English Wiktionary, Spanish section, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0).

How Spanish dictionaries define it

preposition: 1. Indica el objetivo o finalidad de la acción. 2. Indica el uso o destino que se le da a algo. 3. Indica el destinatario de la acción. 4. Indica aptitudes personales.

prefix: 1. Indica "junto a", "al margen de", "contra".

prefix: 1. Forma palabras compuestas indicando "detener", "parar", "proteger contra".

The definition in the Spanish Wiktionary (Wikcionario), in Spanish.

Source: Spanish Wiktionary (Wikcionario), dump of September 1, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org.

Forms of para

  • pora alternative obsolete
  • pa alternative colloquial
  • pá alternative colloquial
  • pa' alternative colloquial
  • paras plural

Source: English Wiktionary and Spanish Wiktionary (Wikcionario) (dumps of September 2, 2026 and September 1, 2026).

English words that translate to para

Source: the translation tables of the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026.

How common is para in Spanish?

para appears 8,318 times per million words in written Spanish.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

What to look up after para