Difference between revisions of "Expressing "for" with "gei""

Latest revision as of 08:55, 21 April 2021

Level

B1 / HSK2
Level

B1
Level

HSK2
Similar to
- Expressing "for" with "wei" (B1)
- Using "dui" with verbs (B1)
- Verbs followed by "gei" (B1)
- Comparing "gei" and "wei" (B2)
Similar to
- Using "dui" with verbs (HSK2)
- Verbs followed by "gei" (HSK2)
- Comparing "gei" and "wei" (HSK5)
- Expressing "for" with "wei" (HSK5)
Used for

Expressing purpose
Keywords

给

The preposition 给 (gěi) can mean "for," as in, "everything I do, I do it for you." You can also think of it as meaning "give," like to give a service or to give something to someone. In this case, the default position of the character is before the verb, although it sometimes comes after, depending on the verb.

Structure

The meaning of 给 is very similar to 为 (wèi) in Chinese, but 给 is more informal than 为, and there are many cases where it's simply based on convention and general practice to decide to use one or the other.

Subj. + 给 + Recipient + [Verb Phrase]

Note that the "recipient" in the pattern above is usually a person but isn't necessarily a person. It could be an animal, company, or any number of other types of recipients.

Examples

给客人倒茶。Gěi kèrén dàochá.Pour tea for the guests.
妈妈在给孩子们做饭。Māma zài gěi háizi men zuòfàn.Mom cooks for the kids.
我儿子喜欢给小狗洗澡。Wǒ érzi xǐhuan gěi xiǎogǒu xǐzǎo.My son likes giving our dog a bath.
请给我拿一双筷子。Qǐng gěi wǒ ná yī shuāng kuàizi.Please get a pair of chopsticks for me.
可以给我买一杯咖啡吗？Kěyǐ gěi wǒ mǎi yī bēi kāfēi ma?Could you buy me a cup of coffee?
可以给我 拿一下 行李吗？Kěyǐ gěi wǒ ná yīxià xíngli ma?Can you take my luggage for me?
这个周末我们给儿子 开生日派对 。Zhège zhōumò wǒmen gěi érzi kāi shēngrì pàiduì.We're going to hold a birthday party for our son this weekend.
我没带钥匙，你能给我 开一下门 吗？Wǒ méi dài yàoshi, nǐ néng gěi wǒ kāi yīxià mén ma?I didn't bring the key. Could you open the door for me?
你想给我打扫房间吗？Nǐ xiǎng gěi wǒ dǎsǎo fángjiān ma?Would you like to clean the room for me?
如果你来中国玩，我给你 当导游 。Rúguǒ nǐ lái Zhōngguó wán, wǒ gěi nǐ dāng dǎoyóu.If you come visit China, I'll be your tour guide.

Sources and further reading

Books

现代汉语虚词例释 (pp. 196) 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy

Dictionaries

现代汉语词典（第5版） (pp. 464) 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Grammar Box}}
-The preposition 给 (gěi) can mean "for," as in, "everything I do, I do it ''for'' you." You can also think of it to mean "give," like to give a service or to give an Obj..   In this case, the default position of the character is before the verb, although it sometimes comes after, depending on the verb.
+The preposition 给 (gěi) can mean "for," as in, "everything I do, I do it ''for'' you." You can also think of it as meaning "give," like to give a service or to give something to someone. In this case, the default position of the character is before the verb, although it sometimes comes after, depending on the verb.
 == Structure ==
@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 </div>
-Note that the "recipient" in the pattern above is usually a person, but isn't necessarily a person. It could be an animal, or company, or any number of other types of recipients.
+Note that the "recipient" in the pattern above is usually a person but isn't necessarily a person. It could be an animal, company, or any number of other types of recipients.
 == Examples ==
@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 <div class="liju">
-*<em>给</em> 客人 <strong>倒茶</strong> 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Gěi</em> kèrén <strong>dàochá</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Pour a cup of tea for the guest.</span>
+*<em>给</em> 客人 <strong>倒茶</strong> 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Gěi</em> kèrén <strong>dàochá</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Pour tea for the guests.</span>
-*妈妈 在 <em>给</em> 孩子 们 <strong>做饭</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Māma zài <em>gěi</em> háizi men <strong>zuòfàn</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Mom is cooking for the kids.</span>
+*妈妈 在 <em>给</em> 孩子 们 <strong>做饭</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Māma zài <em>gěi</em> háizi men <strong>zuòfàn</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Mom cooks for the kids.</span>
-*我 儿子 喜欢 <em>给</em> 小狗 <strong>洗澡</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ érzi xǐhuan <em>gěi</em> xiǎogǒu <strong>xǐzǎo</strong>.</span><span class="trans">My son likes to give a bath to our dog.</span>
+*我 儿子 喜欢 <em>给</em> 小狗 <strong>洗澡</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ érzi xǐhuan <em>gěi</em> xiǎogǒu <strong>xǐzǎo</strong>.</span><span class="trans">My son likes giving our dog a bath.</span>
-*请 <em>给</em> 我 <strong>拿</strong>  一 双 筷子 。<span class="pinyin">Qǐng <em>gěi</em> wǒ <strong>ná</strong>  yī shuāng kuàizi.</span><span class="trans">Please give me a pair of chopsticks.</span>
+*请 <em>给</em> 我 <strong>拿</strong>  一 双 筷子 。<span class="pinyin">Qǐng <em>gěi</em> wǒ <strong>ná</strong>  yī shuāng kuàizi.</span><span class="trans">Please get a pair of chopsticks for me.</span>
-*可以 <em>给</em> 我 <strong>买</strong> 一 杯 咖啡 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Kěyǐ <em>gěi</em> wǒ <strong>mǎi</strong> yī bēi kāfēi ma?</span><span class="trans">Could you please buy me a cup of coffee?</span>
+*可以 <em>给</em> 我 <strong>买</strong> 一 杯 咖啡 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Kěyǐ <em>gěi</em> wǒ <strong>mǎi</strong> yī bēi kāfēi ma?</span><span class="trans">Could you buy me a cup of coffee?</span>
-*可以 <em>给</em> 我 <strong>拿 一下</strong> 行李 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Kěyǐ <em>gěi</em> wǒ <strong>ná yīxià</strong> xíngli ma?</span><span class="trans">Can you take my suitcase for me?</span>
+*可以 <em>给</em> 我 <strong>拿 一下</strong> 行李 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Kěyǐ <em>gěi</em> wǒ <strong>ná yīxià</strong> xíngli ma?</span><span class="trans">Can you take my luggage for me?</span>
 *这个 周末 我们 <em>给</em> 儿子 <strong>开 生日 派对</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège zhōumò wǒmen <em>gěi</em> érzi <strong>kāi shēngrì pàiduì</strong>.</span><span class="trans">We're going to hold a birthday party for our son this weekend.</span>
-*我 没 带 钥匙 ，你 能 <em>给</em> 我 <strong>开 一下 门</strong> 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Wǒ méi dài yàoshi, nǐ néng <em>gěi</em> wǒ <strong>kāi yīxià mén</strong> ma?</span><span class="trans">I don't have the key. Could you please open the door for me?</span>
+*我 没 带 钥匙 ，你 能 <em>给</em> 我 <strong>开 一下 门</strong> 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Wǒ méi dài yàoshi, nǐ néng <em>gěi</em> wǒ <strong>kāi yīxià mén</strong> ma?</span><span class="trans">I didn't bring the key. Could you open the door for me?</span>
-*你 想 让 我 <em>给</em> 你 <strong>打扫</strong> 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xiǎng ràng wǒ <em>gěi</em> nǐ <strong>dǎsǎo</strong> ma?</span><span class="trans">Are you asking me to clean your room for you? </span>
+*你 想 <em>给</em> 我 <strong>打扫</strong> 房间 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xiǎng <em>gěi</em> wǒ <strong>dǎsǎo</strong> fángjiān ma?</span><span class="trans">Would you like to clean the room for me? </span>
-*如果 你 来 中国 玩 ，我 <em>给</em> 你 <strong>当 导游</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Rúguǒ nǐ lái Zhōngguó wán, wǒ <em>gěi</em> nǐ <strong>dāng dǎoyóu</strong>.</span><span class="trans">If you come to visit China, I'll be your tour guide.</span>
+*如果 你 来 中国 玩 ，我 <em>给</em> 你 <strong>当 导游</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Rúguǒ nǐ lái Zhōngguó wán, wǒ <em>gěi</em> nǐ <strong>dāng dǎoyóu</strong>.</span><span class="trans">If you come visit China, I'll be your tour guide.</span>
 </div>
@@ Line 49: / Line 49: @@
 [[Category:B1 grammar points]]
+{{HSK|HSK2}}{{2021-HSK|HSK2}}
 {{Basic Grammar|给|B1|Subj. + 给 + Recipient + Verb Phrase|妈妈 在 <em>给</em> 孩子 们 做饭 。|grammar point|ASGLHAV3}}
 {{Similar|Using "dui"}}
@@ Line 54: / Line 55: @@
 {{Similar|Verbs preceded by "gei"}}
 {{Similar|Expressing "for" with "wei"}}
+{{Similar|Comparing "gei" and "wei"}}
 {{Used for|Expressing Purpose}}
 {{POS|Prepositions}}
 {{Translation|for}}