Ask Difference

For vs. Per — What's the Difference?

By Urooj Arif & Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 18, 2024
"For" is often used to indicate the purpose, duration, or in exchange for something, while "per" typically signifies "for each" or "according to," and is used to express a rate, proportion, or distribution.
For vs. Per — What's the Difference?

Difference Between For and Per

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Key Differences

"For" is versatile, indicating reasons or motives ("for the sake of"), time duration ("for two hours"), or exchange ("for money"). "Per," on the other hand, is more specific, commonly used in measurements or to denote frequency ("miles per hour").
While "for" can express a wide range of relationships, including cause ("fighting for peace"), benefit ("good for health"), or representation ("vote for someone"), "per" is generally used in more quantitative contexts, such as stating ratios ("calories per serving") or standards ("per regulations").
In sentences, "for" can be used to specify the intended recipient of an action or object ("bought a gift for her"), whereas "per" is used to indicate division or allotment within a larger group or quantity ("one vote per member").
The usage of "for" can imply a transfer or intention toward a person or thing ("prepared for the trip"), while "per" implies a distribution or allotment that is often more impersonal and statistical in nature ("cost per item").

Comparison Chart

Function

Indicates purpose, duration, exchange
Expresses rate, proportion, distribution
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Usage Context

Broad, versatile applications
Specific, often quantitative contexts

Common Phrases

For the sake of, good for, fight for
Miles per hour, calories per serving

Relationship

Cause, benefit, representation
Ratio, standard, allotment

Example Usage

Bought a gift for her
One vote per member

Compare with Definitions

For

Indicates purpose or reason.
She studied hard for her exams.

Per

Used to express a rate or ratio.
The car runs 30 miles per gallon.

For

Used to indicate duration of time.
They traveled for three weeks.

Per

Indicates distribution among a number.
The teacher allotted two candies per student.

For

Expresses an exchange or transaction.
He exchanged his old car for a new one.

Per

Often used in measurements and standards.
The maximum occupancy is 50 people per square meter.

For

Implies a benefit or suitability.
This medicine is for relieving pain.

Per

Implies accordance with a rule or standard.
Per company policy, employees must wear badges.

For

Can signify intended recipients.
This present is for you.

Per

Used to denote frequency within a time frame.
The newsletter is published once per month.

For

Used to indicate the object, aim, or purpose of an action or activity
Trained for the ministry.
Put the house up for sale.
Plans to run for senator.

Per

For each (used with units to express a rate)
He charges £2 per square yard

For

Used to indicate a destination
Headed off for town.

Per

By means of
Send it per express

For

Used to indicate the object of a desire, intention, or perception
Had a nose for news.
Eager for success.

Per

Divided by a line in the direction of
Per saltire

For

Used to indicate the recipient or beneficiary of an action
Prepared lunch for us.

Per

To, for, or by each; for every
Gasoline once cost 40 cents per gallon.

For

On behalf of
Spoke for all the members.

Per

According to; by
Changes were made to the manuscript per the author's instructions.

For

In favor of
Were they for or against the proposal?.

Per

By means of; through.

For

In place of
A substitute for eggs.

Per

For each one; apiece
Sold the cookies for one dollar per.

For

Used to indicate equivalence or equality
Paid ten dollars for a ticket.
Repeated the conversation word for word.

Per

Per hour
Was driving at 60 miles per.

For

Used to indicate correlation or correspondence
Took two steps back for every step forward.

Per

For each.
Admission is £10 per person.
Miles per gallon
Beats per minute
$2.50 per dozen

For

Used to indicate amount, extent, or duration
A bill for five dollars.
Walked for miles.
Stood in line for an hour.

Per

To each, in each (used in expressing ratios of units).
12 inches per foot
100 centimeters per meter

For

Used to indicate a specific time
Had an appointment for two o'clock.

Per

(medicine) By the, by means of the, via the, through the.
Introduce the endoscope per nasum.
The medication is to be administered per os.

For

Used to indicate a number of attempts
Shot three for four from the foul line.

Per

In accordance with, as per
I parked my car at the curb per your request.
Implement a program that computes the approximate grade level needed to comprehend some text, per the below.
Note that while the walkthrough illustrates that words may be separated by more than one space, you may assume, per the specifications above, that no sentences will contain more than one space in a row.

For

As being
Take for granted.
Mistook me for the librarian.

Per

They singular. Gender-neutral neologistic third-person singular subject pronoun, coordinate with gendered pronouns she.}}

For

Used to indicate an actual or implied listing or choosing
For one thing, we can't afford it.

Per

Them singular Neologistic gender-neutral third-person singular object pronoun, suggested for use in place of her.}}

For

As a result of; because of
Jumped for joy.

Per

Belonging to per, their singular. Gender-neutral third-person singular possessive adjective, coordinate with gendered her.}}

For

Used to indicate appropriateness or suitability
It will be for the judge to decide.

Per

Through; by means of; through the agency of; by; for; for each; as, per annum; per capita, by heads, or according to individuals; per curiam, by the court; per se, by itself, of itself. Per is also sometimes used with English words.

For

Notwithstanding; despite
For all the problems, it was a valuable experience.

For

As regards; concerning
A stickler for neatness.

For

Considering the nature or usual character of
Was spry for his advanced age.

For

In honor of
Named for her grandmother.

For

Because; since.

For

Because of this; for this reason.

For

Because, as, since.
I had to stay with my wicked stepmother, for I had nowhere else to go.

For

Towards; in the direction of.
The astronauts headed for the moon.
Run for the hills!
He was headed for the door when he remembered.

For

Directed at; intended to belong to.
I have something for you.

For

In order to help, benefit, gratify, honor etc. (someone or something).
Everything I do, I do for you.
We're having a birthday party for Janet.
The mayor gave a speech for the charity gala.

For

To be used or treated in a stated way, or with a stated purpose.
This is a new bell for my bicycle.
The cake is for Tom and Helen's anniversary.
These apples here are for eating. The rest are for throwing away.

For

Supporting, in favour of.
All those for the motion, raise your hands.
Who's for ice-cream?
I'm for going by train

For

Because of.
He wouldn't apologize; and just for that, she refused to help him.
She was the worse for drink.
I like her for lots of reasons.

For

Intended to cure, remove or counteract; in order to cure, remove or counteract.
This medicine is for your cough.
I need to spray my house for termites.

For

Over (a period of time).
I've lived here for three years.
They fought for days over a silly pencil.

For

Throughout or across (a distance in space).
I can see for miles.

For

Used to introduce a subject within a to-infinitive clause.
It is unreasonable for our boss to withhold our wages.
All I want is for you to be happy.

For

On behalf of.
I will stand in for him.
I speak for the Prime Minister.

For

In the role or capacity of; instead of; in place of.
I used a hay bale for a bed.
He's got a turnip for a brain.

For

In exchange for; in correspondence or equivalence with.
I got five hundred pounds for that old car!
He matched me blow for blow.

For

In order to obtain or acquire.
I am aiming for completion by the end of business Thursday.
He's going for his doctorate.
Do you want to go for coffee?
People all over Greece looked to Delphi for answers.
Can you go to the store for some eggs?
I'm saving up for a car.
Don't wait for an answer.
What did he ask you for?

For

By the standards of, usually with the implication that those standards are lower than one might otherwise expect; considering.
Fair for its day.
She's spry for an old lady.
He's very mature, for a two-year old.

For

To be, or as being.
Don't take me for a fool.

For

(usually in the phrase 'for all') Despite, in spite of.
For all his expensive education, he didn't seem very bright.

For

Indicating something desired or anticipated.
O for the wings of a dove.
Ah! for wings to soar
And now for a slap-up meal!

For

(in expressions such as 'for a start') Introducing the first item(s) in a potential sequence.
Go scuba diving? For one thing, I can't even swim.

For

In honor of; after.
He is named for his grandfather.

For

Due or facing (a certain outcome or fate).
He totally screwed up that project. Now he's surely for the sack.

For

Out of; used to indicate a fraction, a ratio
In term of base hits, Jones was three for four on the day

For

(cricket) Used as part of a score to indicate the number of wickets that have fallen.
At close of play, England were 305 for 3.

For

(obsolete) Indicating that in prevention of which, or through fear of which, anything is done.

For

Used in various more-or-less idiomatic ways to construe individual verbs, indicating various semantic relationships such as target, purpose, result, etc.; see also the entries for individual phrasal verbs, e.g. ask for, look for, stand for, etc.
To account for one's whereabouts
To care for a relative
To settle for second best
To allow for mistakes

For

(nonstandard) So (that), in order to
He took the swing shift for he could get more overtime.

For

In the most general sense, indicating that in consideration of, in view of, or with reference to, which anything is done or takes place.

For

Indicating the antecedent cause or occasion of an action; the motive or inducement accompanying and prompting to an act or state; the reason of anything; that on account of which a thing is or is done.
With fiery eyes sparkling for very wrath.
How to choose dogs for scent or speed.
Now, for so many glorious actions done,For peace at home, and for the public wealth,I mean to crown a bowl for Cæsar's health.
That which we, for our unworthiness, are afraid to crave, our prayer is, that God, for the worthiness of his Son, would, notwithstanding, vouchsafe to grant.

For

Indicating the remoter and indirect object of an act; the end or final cause with reference to which anything is, acts, serves, or is done.
The oak for nothing ill,The osier good for twigs, the poplar for the mill.
It was young counsel for the persons, and violent counsel for the matters.
Shall I think the worls was made for one,And men are born for kings, as beasts for men,Not for protection, but to be devoured?
For he writes not for money, nor for praise.

For

Indicating that in favor of which, or in promoting which, anything is, or is done; hence, in behalf of; in favor of; on the side of; - opposed to against.
We can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.
It is for the general good of human society, and consequently of particular persons, to be true and just; and it is for men's health to be temperate.
Aristotle is for poetical justice.

For

Indicating that toward which the action of anything is directed, or the point toward which motion is made; ntending to go to.
We sailed from Peru for China and Japan.

For

Indicating that on place of or instead of which anything acts or serves, or that to which a substitute, an equivalent, a compensation, or the like, is offered or made; instead of, or place of.
And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

For

Indicating that in the character of or as being which anything is regarded or treated; to be, or as being.
We take a falling meteor for a star.
If a man can be fully assured of anything for a truth, without having examined, what is there that he may not embrace for tru ?
Most of our ingenious young men take up some cried-up English poet for their model.
But let her go for an ungrateful woman.

For

Indicating that instead of which something else controls in the performing of an action, or that in spite of which anything is done, occurs, or is; hence, equivalent to notwithstanding, in spite of; - generally followed by all, aught, anything, etc.
The writer will do what she please for all me.
God's desertion shall, for aught he knows, the next minute supervene.
For anything that legally appears to the contrary, it may be a contrivance to fright us.

For

Indicating the space or time through which an action or state extends; hence, during; in or through the space or time of.
For many miles aboutThere 's scarce a bush.
Since, hired for life, thy servile muse sing.
To guide the sun's bright chariot for a day.

For

Indicating that in prevention of which, or through fear of which, anything is done.
We 'll have a bib, for spoiling of thy doublet.
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
For me, my stormy voyage at an end,I to the port of death securely tend.

For

Because; by reason that; for that; indicating, in Old English, the reason of anything.
And for of long that way had walkéd none,The vault was hid with plants and bushes hoar.
And Heaven defend your good souls, that you thinkI will your serious and great business scant,For she with me.

For

Since; because; introducing a reason of something before advanced, a cause, motive, explanation, justification, or the like, of an action related or a statement made. It is logically nearly equivalent to since, or because, but connects less closely, and is sometimes used as a very general introduction to something suggested by what has gone before.
Give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth forever.
Heaven doth with us as we with torches do,Not light them for themselves; for if our virtuesDid not go forth of us, 't were all alikeAs if we had them not.

For

One who takes, or that which is said on, the affrimative side; that which is said in favor of some one or something; - the antithesis of against, and commonly used in connection with it.

Common Curiosities

How is "per" commonly used?

"Per" is commonly used to express a rate, ratio, or proportion, especially in quantitative contexts.

What is an example of "for" indicating a duration?

"They rented a cabin for the weekend" is an example where "for" indicates a duration of time.

How is "per" used in measurements?

"Per" is used in measurements to indicate a rate or proportion, such as "55 miles per hour."

How does "per" relate to distribution?

"Per" relates to distribution by indicating how something is divided or allocated among a number, like "one item per person."

Can "for" imply a benefit?

Yes, "for" can imply a benefit, as in "This exercise is good for your health."

In what context is "per" used regarding standards?

"Per" is used in the context of standards to denote compliance or adherence ("Per regulations, safety gear is required").

Can "for" denote intention toward something?

Yes, "for" can denote intention, as in "The letter is for informing the committee."

Can "for" and "per" be used interchangeably?

"For" and "per" cannot typically be used interchangeably due to their distinct meanings and usage contexts.

How does "for" work in transactions?

"For" in transactions indicates what is being exchanged, as in "I sold the painting for $100."

What does "for" indicate in a sentence?

"For" can indicate purpose, duration, exchange, or the intended recipient of an action or object in a sentence.

What does "for" express in terms of relationships?

"For" can express relationships such as cause, benefit, or representation ("She speaks for the team").

What's an example of "per" indicating a ratio?

An example would be "The printer can print 20 pages per minute," indicating a ratio.

What does "per" imply in terms of frequency?

"Per" can imply frequency within a specific time frame, like "twice per week."

Is "for" used in expressions of time?

Yes, "for" is frequently used to express durations or periods of time ("I've lived here for five years").

How is "per" used in the context of rules?

"Per" is used to signify accordance with a rule or guideline, such as "per the agreement."

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Author Spotlight

Written by
Urooj Arif
Urooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat

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