Para la sopa, mi madre corta puerro y apio antes de poner la olla al fuego.

For the soup, my mother cuts leek and celery before putting the pot on the heat.

Breakdown of Para la sopa, mi madre corta puerro y apio antes de poner la olla al fuego.

• mi: my
• para: for
• al: to the
• y: and

Questions & Answers about Para la sopa, mi madre corta puerro y apio antes de poner la olla al fuego.

Why does the sentence start with Para la sopa?

Para la sopa gives the purpose or context: for the soup / for making the soup.

In Spanish, it is very common to put this kind of phrase at the beginning to set the scene:

• Para la ensalada, corto tomate y cebolla.
• Para el desayuno, siempre hago tostadas.

So here, Para la sopa means that the leek and celery are being cut as ingredients for the soup.

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Why is it para and not por?

Because para usually expresses purpose, intended use, or destination.

Here, the vegetables are being cut for the soup, meaning they are going to be used in it. That fits para.

• para la sopa = for the soup / intended for the soup

If you used por, it would usually suggest something like because of, through, along, or by means of, which does not fit here.

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Why is corta in the present tense?