Difference between revisions of "The "shi... de" construction for indicating purpose"

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{{Grammar Box}}
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{{Grammar Box}}  
  
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There are many ways to explain why you are doing something. This article will explain another way to do that, and it just happens to involve "是...的".  
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There are many ways to explain why you are doing something or what an object is used for. One of the more natural ways just happens to involve 是⋯⋯的. This is a different usage from the [[The "shi... de" construction for emphasizing details|"classic" 是⋯⋯的 pattern]].
  
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== Structure ==
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== A Person as Subject ==
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=== Structure ===
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If the subject is a person, there is often a 来 or 去 after the 是, indicating direction like "coming here" or "going there."
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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Person + 是 + 来 / 去 + Verb+ 的
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</div>
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=== Examples ===
  
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Subject + <em>是</em> + Reason/Purpose + <em>的</em>
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<div class="liju">
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*我 <em>是</em> <strong>来</strong> 玩 <em>的</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>shì</em> <strong>lái</strong> wán <em>de</em>.</span><span class="trans">I came for fun.</span>
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*我们 都 <em>是</em> <strong>去</strong> 出差 <em>的</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <em>shì</em> <strong>qù</strong> chūchāi <em>de</em>.</span><span class="trans">We are all going on business trips.</span>
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*他们 都 <em>是</em> <strong>来</strong> 实习 <em>的</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen dōu <em>shì</em> <strong>lái</strong> shíxí <em>de</em>.</span><span class="trans">They all came here to do internships.</span>
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*你 真的 <em>是</em> <strong>来</strong> 帮 我们 <em>的</em> 吗 ？<span class="pinyin"> Nǐ zhēnde  <em>shì</em> <strong>lái</strong> bāng wǒmen <em>de</em> ma?</span><span class="trans">Are you really here to help us? </span>
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*我们 不 <em>是</em> <strong>去</strong> 玩 <em>的</em> ，<em>是</em> <strong>去</strong> 做 调查 <em>的</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen bù <em>shì</em> <strong>qù</strong> wán <em>de</em>, <em>shì</em> <strong>qù</strong> zuò diàochá <em>de</em>.</span><span class="trans">We're not going for fun. We're going to do research.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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== A Thing as Subject ==
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=== Structure ===
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If the subject is a thing, 用来 is often used. Look at the examples below for some more clarification.
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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Thing + 是 + 用来 + Verb + 的
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</div>
  
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or
  
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<div class="jiegou">
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Thing + 是 + 给 + Person + Verb + 的
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</div>
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=== Examples ===
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<div class="liju">
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*这 种 菜 <em>是</em> <strong>用来</strong> 做 汤 <em>的</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè zhǒng cài <em>shì</em> <strong>yònglái</strong> zuò tāng <em>de</em>.</span><span class="trans">This kind of vegetable is for making soup.</span>
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*这个 房间 <em>是</em> <strong>给</strong> 客人 住 <em>的</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège fángjiān <em>shì</em> <strong>gěi</strong> kèrén zhù <em>de</em>.</span><span class="trans">This room is for our guest to stay in.</span>
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*这些 钱 <em>是</em> <strong>给</strong> 孩子 上 大学 <em>的</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhèxiē qián <em>shì</em> <strong>gěi</strong> háizi shàng dàxué <em>de</em>.</span><span class="trans">This money is for our child's college education.</span>
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*这些 礼物 <em>是</em> <strong>给</strong> 客户 准备 <em>的</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhèxiē lǐwù <em>shì</em> <strong>gěi</strong> kèhù zhǔnbèi <em>de</em>.</span><span class="trans">These presents have been prepared for the clients.</span>
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*钱 <em>是</em> <strong>用来</strong> 花 <em>的</em> ，不 <em>是</em> <strong>用来</strong> 省<em>的</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Qián <em>shì</em> <strong>yònglái</strong> huā <em>de</em>, bù <em>shì</em> <strong>yònglái</strong> shěng <em>de</em>.</span><span class="trans">Money is for spending, not for saving.</span>
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</div>
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== See also ==
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*[[The "shi... de" patterns: an overview]]
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*[[The "shi... de" construction for emphasizing details]]
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== Sources and further reading ==
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=== Books ===
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 2|28}}
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[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK2}}{{2021-HSK|HSK2}}
 
[[Category:Structures]]
 
[[Category:Structures]]
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{{Basic Grammar|是|B1|是⋯⋯ 的|我 <em>是</em> 来 上海 旅游 <em>的</em> 。|grammar point|ASG0UFR4}}
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{{Rel char|的}}
 
{{Similar|的 (modal particle)}}
 
{{Similar|的 (modal particle)}}
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{{Similar|The "shi... de" construction for emphasizing details}}
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{{Similar|The "shi... de" patterns: an overview}}
 
{{Used for|Emphasizing}}
 
{{Used for|Emphasizing}}
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{{Basic Grammar|是|B1|是… 的|我 <em>是</em> 来 工作 <em>的</em>.|grammar point|NEEDCODE}}
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{{Used for|Expressing purpose}}
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{{Rel char|的}}
 
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}

Latest revision as of 08:55, 21 April 2021

There are many ways to explain why you are doing something or what an object is used for. One of the more natural ways just happens to involve 是⋯⋯的. This is a different usage from the "classic" 是⋯⋯的 pattern.

A Person as Subject

Structure

If the subject is a person, there is often a 来 or 去 after the 是, indicating direction like "coming here" or "going there."

Person + 是 + 来 / 去 + Verb+ 的

Examples

  • 我 是 来 玩 的 。Wǒ shì lái wán de.I came for fun.
  • 我们 都 是 去 出差 的 。Wǒmen dōu shì qù chūchāi de.We are all going on business trips.
  • 他们 都 是 来 实习 的 。Tāmen dōu shì lái shíxí de.They all came here to do internships.
  • 你 真的 是 来 帮 我们 的 吗 ？ Nǐ zhēnde shì lái bāng wǒmen de ma?Are you really here to help us?
  • 我们 不 是 去 玩 的 ，是 去 做 调查 的 。Wǒmen bù shì qù wán de, shì qù zuò diàochá de.We're not going for fun. We're going to do research.

A Thing as Subject

Structure

If the subject is a thing, 用来 is often used. Look at the examples below for some more clarification.

Thing + 是 + 用来 + Verb + 的

or

Thing + 是 + 给 + Person + Verb + 的

Examples

  • 这 种 菜 是 用来 做 汤 的 。Zhè zhǒng cài shì yònglái zuò tāng de.This kind of vegetable is for making soup.
  • 这个 房间 是 给 客人 住 的 。Zhège fángjiān shì gěi kèrén zhù de.This room is for our guest to stay in.
  • 这些 钱 是 给 孩子 上 大学 的 。Zhèxiē qián shì gěi háizi shàng dàxué de.This money is for our child's college education.
  • 这些 礼物 是 给 客户 准备 的 。Zhèxiē lǐwù shì gěi kèhù zhǔnbèi de.These presents have been prepared for the clients.
  • 钱 是 用来 花 的 ，不 是 用来 省的 。Qián shì yònglái huā de, bù shì yònglái shěng de.Money is for spending, not for saving.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

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