"Eu falo pelos meninos."
Translation:I speak for the boys.
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123
Maybe because in English only "speak for" means "to represent", and "talk for" is invalid.
1064
How do we know when pelo/por means 'for' or 'about'? I've just seen the same word used for both meanings in two consecutive phrases, and context alone isn't enough to differentiate.
Here are some resources to help you on the PT journey including a couple specific to the many uses of "por" in Portuguese:
https://forum.duolingo.com/topic/328
https://forum.duolingo.com/comment/6331998
https://forum.duolingo.com/comment/24821552
https://forum.duolingo.com/comment/3185480
https://forum.duolingo.com/comment/24929556
"Por" in PT can be used in the English sense to mean many different things including "through" as in looking through a doorway. That is because other languages are not just English with different words. =]
https://www.learn-portuguese-with-rafa.com/por-and-para-in-portuguese.html
https://www.learningportuguese.co.uk/guide/grammar/basics/prepositions
To be fair, English prepositions are just as daunting to native speakers of other languages (and even among those using English their entire lives).
https://www.economist.com/johnson/2011/11/21/up-down-in-around-aboard-with-it-on-it
http://www.macmillandictionaryblog.com/prepositions-are-funny-but-not-random
And so it goes...
https://forum.unilang.org/viewtopic.php?t=37436
"Eu converso com os meninos" or "Eu falo para os meninos."
Though I suppose it could also be, "Eu falo aos meninos" with the Portuguese "a" meaning the English "to" contracting with the article, "os" in this case (otherwise too many vowels together). For girls it could be "Eu falo às meninos."
I am hoping someone will correct me (with an explanation). But my sense of it so far is that "a" is more of a destination than a direction concept.