Porche vs. pórtico
The Spanish words porche and pórtico both translate to the English word porch, but they describe very different architectural structures. While porche is used for everyday, residential covered outdoor areas, pórtico describes grand, formal structures often supported by columns.
Porche
The word porche refers to a standard residential porch, veranda, or covered patio attached to a house, primarily used for relaxing or parking vehicles.
Mi abuelo pasa las tardes leyendo en el porche de su casa.
(My grandfather spends his afternoons reading on the porch of his house.)
Aparcamos el coche bajo el porche para protegerlo de la lluvia.
(We parked the car under the porch to protect it from the rain.)
Ellos construyeron un porche de madera en el patio trasero.
(They built a wooden porch in the backyard.)
El perro está durmiendo tranquilamente en el porche delantero.
(The dog is sleeping peacefully on the front porch.)
Tomamos limonada fresca en el porche durante las tardes de verano.
(We drink cold lemonade on the porch during summer afternoons.)
Pórtico
The word pórtico refers to a grand, formal portico, arcade, or colonnade, typically featuring pillars or columns, and is usually found at the entrance of public buildings, churches, or ancient temples.
El pórtico de la catedral está decorado con estatuas detalladas.
(The porch of the cathedral is decorated with detailed statues.)
Los turistas se refugiaron del sol bajo el pórtico del antiguo templo romano.
(The tourists took shelter from the sun under the porch of the ancient Roman temple.)
El museo de arte de la ciudad tiene un pórtico neoclásico impresionante.
(The city art museum has an impressive neoclassical porch.)
Caminamos por el pórtico del ayuntamiento mientras esperábamos al guía turístico.
(We walked through the porch of the city hall while waiting for the tour guide.)
El arquitecto diseñó un gran pórtico con imponentes columnas de mármol.
(The architect designed a large porch with imposing marble columns.)
Summary
In summary, use porche when talking about a cozy, everyday domestic structure attached to a residential house. Choose pórtico when describing a grand, column-lined entrance to a monumental, historical, or public building.