“Pour” vs. “Par” in French: Understanding the Difference

Both “pour” and “par” are common prepositions in French, but they are used in different contexts and convey distinct meanings. Here’s an explanation of each with examples to help you master their usage.

1. POUR: For, In Order To

Key Uses of “Pour”

• Purpose or Goal: Indicates the reason or purpose of an action.
  • Je travaille pour gagner de l’argent.
    (I work to earn money.)
• Recipient: Refers to the person or entity receiving something.
  • Ce cadeau est pour toi.
    (This gift is for you.)
• Duration (Planned): Describes a future period of time.
  • Je pars pour deux semaines.
    (I am leaving for two weeks.)
• Opinion: Expresses someone’s opinion or point of view.
  • Pour moi, c’est une bonne idée.
    (For me, it’s a good idea.)

Examples of “Pour” in Context

1. Elle étudie pour devenir médecin.
   (She is studying to become a doctor.)
2. J’ai acheté des fleurs pour ma mère.
   (I bought flowers for my mother.)
3. Nous sommes ici pour une réunion importante.
   (We are here for an important meeting.)

2. PAR: By, Through, Per

Key Uses of “Par”

• Agent of Action: Indicates the doer of an action in passive voice.
  • Ce livre a été écrit par Victor Hugo.
    (This book was written by Victor Hugo.)
• Means or Method: Refers to how something is done.
  • J’ai voyagé par avion.
    (I traveled by plane.)
• Frequency: Used to express recurrence or rate.
  • Elle court trois fois par semaine.
    (She runs three times per week.)
• Through or Across: Indicates movement or passage through a place.
  • Nous sommes passés par le parc.
    (We passed through the park.)

Examples of “Par” in Context

1. Le message a été envoyé par e-mail.
   (The message was sent by email.)
2. Ils ont marché par la forêt.
   (They walked through the forest.)
3. Je gagne 20 euros par heure.
   (I earn 20 euros per hour.)

3. Comparing “Pour” and “Par”

4. Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

• Confusing Purpose with Agent:
  • Incorrect: Ce livre est pour Victor Hugo.
  • Correct: Ce livre a été écrit par Victor Hugo.
    (This book was written by Victor Hugo.)
• Mixing Duration and Frequency:
  • Incorrect: Je cours pour semaine.
  • Correct: Je cours trois fois par semaine.
    (I run three times per week.)

5. Practice Sentences

Fill in the blanks with pour or par:

1. Je vais à la boulangerie ___ acheter du pain.
   (I’m going to the bakery to buy bread.)
2. Cette peinture a été réalisée ___ un artiste célèbre.
   (This painting was created by a famous artist.)
3. Nous avons voyagé ___ la montagne.
   (We traveled through the mountain.)
4. Il a organisé une fête ___ son ami.
   (He organized a party for his friend.)

6. Summary

• Use pour when expressing purpose, goals, recipients, or opinions.
• Use par when talking about methods, agents in the passive voice, frequency, or movement through a place.

Mastering the distinction between “pour” and “par” will greatly enhance your fluency in French and help you communicate more effectively!

You can take the multiple-choice quiz.

The French prepositions “pour” and “par” are often confused by non-native speakers as both translate to “for” in English. However, there are subtle differences: “pour” is used to express the purpose or benefit of an action, while “par” is often used to indicate the actor or cause of an action. This distinction can be tricky for non-natives as it requires a precise understanding of the context. Choose the correct preposition for the sentences in this exercise.