Path
Which route does it take?
Meaning
We can say which route something takes as it moves or passes through. It can follow a line, cross an area, or pass through an opening. Languages mark routes with words, endings, or the verb itself, and some have no special route endings. Unlike Direction and destination, Path describes the way taken, not the place aimed for.
How to spot it
Look for the part that says which route something follows or what it passes through, across, or along.
In your native language
English uses through for passing within an area or passage, across for crossing from one side to another, and along for following a line or edge. These words come before the place that forms the route, but some can also be used without a following noun.
We walked along the river.
Along shows that the route follows the river.
The bus went through the tunnel.
Through shows passage within the tunnel.
Ella ran across the street.
Across shows movement from one side of the street to the other.
In your learning language
Spanish uses por for a route through an area, past a place, or through an opening. A través de explicitly describes passage through something. Verbs such as cruzar and atravesar can name the crossed place directly, without a preposition.
Para llegar a casa, paso por el parque.
To get home, I go through the park.
Por names the route, not the final destination.
El gato entró por la ventana.
The cat came in through the window.
Por marks the opening used to enter.
Cruzamos la plaza para ir a la estación.
We crossed the square to get to the station.
Cruzar takes the place being crossed directly, without por.
Learners whose language uses the same marker for a route and a destination may choose a or en instead of por. Learners whose language puts the meaning of crossing mainly in a verb prefix may overlook the Spanish choice between a route phrase and a verb such as cruzar.