"Pedir para" or "pedir por"

Question

Which one is the correct word to use in this situation, por or para?

pedir por direcciones
pedir para direcciones

Answer 1

If you want to use pedir, it's better to use pedir una dirección, but this is rarely used, preguntar por una dirección would be more common .

The first case could be used, for instance, if you want to ask for the address of somebody you know, to send a package. Preguntar por una dirección would be used if you want to know where something is.

Answer 2

The correct way to ask for it would be Pedir (Preguntar) por direcciones.

I would use preguntar rather than pedir. When asking for something, always use por. Para should be used for reasons or for gifting something to someone, such as "a present for you" (un regalo para ti).

Answer 3

Also "pedir what": it's "pedir" + artículo determinado (el/la/los/las) / indeterminado ("un/uno/unos/unas")

• pedir la dirección <> ask for the address
• pedir la pizza <> order the pizza (you already know which one)

• pedir la mano <> ask a girl for marriage, usually to her parents (traditional)

• pedir una dirección <> ask for one address

• pedir una pizza <> order one pizza
• pedir unas vacaciones <> ask for holidays
• pedir un aumento [de sueldo] <> ask for a [pay] rise

and para/por: "pedir for what|for who"

• pedir para comer <> begging money in the street for food
• pedir por él <> pray for him, usually in a church-related context

This all is in Spanish from Spain, in other variants there might be variations in meaning