Question 1

Why use por here to mean "because of"? Could I use porque?

Accepted Answer

You use por before a noun to express the cause or reason for something ("because of the storm"). If you want to use porque ("because"), you have to follow it with a full clause that includes a conjugated verb, like porque había una tormenta (because there was a storm).

Question 2

Why is the verb usaba in the imperfect tense instead of the preterite (usó)?

Accepted Answer

The imperfect usaba implies an ongoing situation in the past ("wasn't using it") or a habitual action during a period of bad weather. If the speaker had used the preterite (no usó), it would frame the action as a single, definitively completed event ("he didn't use it on that one specific occasion").

Question 3

Is there a difference between a campesino and a granjero?

Accepted Answer

Yes, although both are often translated as "farmer." A granjero typically owns or manages a commercial farm (granja). Campesino is a broader term for someone who lives and works in the countryside (el campo), often referring to a rural laborer, peasant, or field worker who might not own the land they work.

Question 4

How does the por in this sentence relate to concessive phrases like por más que?

Accepted Answer

In this sentence, por is a simple preposition meaning "because of" that points to the direct cause of the action (la tormenta). In concessive phrases like por más que or por mucho que (no matter how much), por acts differently: it is part of a fixed phrase used to introduce an obstacle that doesn't stop the main action.

El campesino no usaba el tractor por la tormenta.

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