Using por (not para) to express approximate location

Take the fastest path to fluent Spanish
One of the uses of the preposition por (not para) in Spanish is to express an approximate location. Have a look at this example:

He viajado por el noroeste de España este verano.I travelled across the northwest of Spain this summer.

The speaker is not specific about where exactly he has been in the Northwest. We understand that he has been "over there".

Here are some more examples expressing approximate location:

¿Dónde está el pub irlandés? -Creo que está por el centro.¿Where is the Irish pub? -I think is (somewhere) in the town centre.

¿Has visto mis gafas? - Sí, las he visto por el salón.Did you see my glasses? -Yes, I saw them (somewhere) in the lounge.

The way the preposition por is used in this context is very similar to the way we use the preposition en to say "in/on" a place, although when using por there is a stronger nuance of meaning "approximate place" or "around somewhere".

Have a look at these examples where por and en are pretty much interchangable:

Hay muchos monumentos por la ciudad.There are lots of monuments around the city.

Hay muchos monumentos en la ciudad.There are lots of monuments in the city.

Want to make sure your Spanish sounds confident? We’ll map your knowledge and give you free lessons to focus on your gaps and mistakes. Start your Brainmap today »

Learn more about these related Spanish grammar topics

Examples and resources

¿Dónde está el pub irlandés? -Creo que está por el centro.¿Where is the Irish pub? -I think is (somewhere) in the town centre.
Hay muchos monumentos por la ciudad.There are lots of monuments around the city.
Hay muchos monumentos en la ciudad.There are lots of monuments in the city.
He viajado por el noroeste de España este verano.I travelled across the northwest of Spain this summer.
¿Has visto mis gafas? - Sí, las he visto por el salón.Did you see my glasses? -Yes, I saw them (somewhere) in the lounge.
Let me take a look at that...