CoffeeBreakSpanish.com
In this edition:
using ‘para’ to
talk about
purpose
Lesson 62
Notes
Estamos listos para aprender
Expressing purpose using ‘para’
Programme Notes
Coffee Break Spanish notes guide you through the content of each lesson. In this lesson we cover
further uses of para.
Using ʻparaʼ with an infinitve to convey purpose
Previously we learned to used para when talking about ‘destinations’, eg. when talking about the
recipient of a gift:
este regalo es para ti
this present/gift is for you
The word para can also be used to talk about purpose. Consider the examples below:
estoy aquí para ayudarte
I’m here (in order) to help you
estoy aquí para aprender español
I’m here (in order) to learn Spanish
In each case, the word para can be translated as “in order to...” and you should note that it is
followed by the infinitive. Further examples are given in the recording in the context of parties:
voy a la fiesta para ver a mis amigos
I’m going to the party (in order) to see my friends
voy a la fiesta para comer y beber / bailar / celebrar
I’m going to the party (in order) to eat and drink / dance / celebrate
voy a la fiesta para dar un regalo a mi amigo
I’m going to the party (in order) to give a present to my friend
voy a la fiesta para conocer a nuevos amigos
I’m going to the party (in order) to get to know people / meet new friends
Coffee Break Spanish: Lesson 62
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The personal ʻaʼ
Note in two examples above, the word a is added before the direct object when the object is a
person. We will be covering this in future episodes.
¿por qué? porque and ¿para qué?
The phrase for “why” in Spanish is ¿por qué...? This literally translates as “for what...?” The answer
to “why” is often “because”, and in Spanish this is porque... However, you should note that there is
another phrase which is sometimes used in specific circumstances: ¿para qué vas a la fiesta? would
mean “for what reason are you going to the party?” or “you’re going to the party in order to do
what?”, and it must be answered by para...: voy a la fiesta para hablar con Miguel: “I’m going to the
party in order to (so that I can) speak to Miguel”.
The verb regalar
In Spanish to say “to give a gift/present to someone” you can use dar un regalo a alguien. However,
there is a verb which contracts the whole concept of giving a gift to someone into one word: regalar.
This is a normal, regular -ar verb:
regalar (to give a gift) - PRESENT
regalo
regalamos
regalas
regaláis
regala
regalan
Consider the following examples in different tenses:
¿Qué me regalas?
What are you giving me (as a present)?
mi madre me regaló un libro
my mother gave me a book
mis amigos me regalaron una pulsera
my friends gave me a bracelet
The full conjugation of regalar in the preterite is given below:
regalar (to give a gift) - PRETERITE
Coffee Break Spanish: Lesson 62
regalé
regalamos
regalaste
regalasteis
regaló
regalaron
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Talking birthdays
The phrase in Spanish for “happy birthday” is feliz cumpleaños or, within the context of the song,
cumpleaños feliz.
Cumpleaños feliz, cumpleaños feliz
Te deseamos todos, cumpleaños feliz
Te deseamos todos means “we all wish you”. When wishing someone cumpleaños feliz, you can also add
in the phrase ¡que cumples muchos más! which means something along the lines of “may you have
many more”.
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Coffee Break Spanish: Lesson 62
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