por el bien de

Question

Hola hola!I have been reading the message board and found a lot of opinions around this sentenceShe has made many sacrifices for her children.Ha hecho muchos sacrificios por sus hijos.There seemed different explanations for the reason why "por" was selected, one of which being an "intimate recipient". I initially liked this explanation and found it plausible. However, I continued reading and found the mention of "for the sake of".She has made many sacrifices for (the sake of) her children.Ha hecho muchos sacrificios por (el bien de) sus hijos Three questions:1) Can you say "por el bien de" meaning "for the sake of"?2) Can "por el bien de" be used in the above example?3) Is it possible that in English "for the sake of" the (the sake of) can be omitted and likewise in the Spanish "por el bien de" the (el bien de) can be omitted?If the answer to question 3) is yes. Perhaps, this explains and clarifies the use of "por" in the sentence.Ha hecho muchos sacrificios por sus hijos.Your thoughts would be much appreciated.I feel trying to explain the por and para  debate is a difficult task and your help is genuinely appreciated   :) I have more questions though  ;)This got me thinking about the  "for the benefit of":He did it for the benefit of the company.Lo hizo en beneficio de la empresa.This could also be written in English as:He did it for the company.Lo hizo por la empresa.I have two more question:4) Are the following two sentences correct?i) Lo hizo en beneficio de la empresa.ii) Lo hizo por la empresa.And, finally...5) Do they have the same meaning?I would be grateful if you answer the questions above and see if I have understood this use of por.Many thanks,Ryan

Accepted Answer

Hola Ryan
Thanks for your detailed questions—let's break them down one by one.
1) Can you say "por el bien de" meaning 'for the sake of'?
Yes, "por el bien de" is a common and correct way to say 'for the sake of' in Spanish. It conveys the idea of doing something for the benefit or welfare of someone or something.
2) Can "por el bien de" be used in the above example?
Yes, you can use "por el bien de" in the sentence "Ha hecho muchos sacrificios por (el bien de) sus hijos". It emphasizes that the sacrifices were made specifically for the welfare or well-being of the children.
3) Is it possible that in English "for the sake of" can be omitted and likewise in the Spanish "por el bien de" can be omitted?
Yes, in both languages, you can omit "for the sake of" or "por el bien de" and still have a correct sentence. In English, 'She has made many sacrifices for her children' is perfectly acceptable, and the same goes for "Ha hecho muchos sacrificios por sus hijos" in Spanish. The omission doesn’t change the meaning significantly; it just makes the sentence less explicit about the motivation behind the actions.
4) Are the following two sentences correct?
i) "Lo hizo en beneficio de la empresa". ii) "Lo hizo por la empresa".
Yes, both sentences are correct.
5) Do they have the same meaning?
They are similar, but there is a slight nuance. "Lo hizo en beneficio de la empresa" explicitly states that the action was done for the benefit of the company, making the intention very clear. "Lo hizo por la empresa" is broader and can imply that the action was done on behalf of, for the sake of, or in support of the company, without specifying the exact nature of the benefit.
In summary:

"Por el bien de" and "en beneficio de" both add clarity and specificity to the reason behind an action.
Using just "por" is also correct and often implies the same intention, but with less specificity.

I hope this helps clarify the use of "por" and related expressions. If you have more questions, feel free to ask!
Saludos
Silvia