Difference between revisions of "Expressing purpose with "weile""

m (Text replacement - "=== Example ===" to "=== Examples ===")
 
(22 intermediate revisions by 6 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
{{Grammar Box}}
 
{{Grammar Box}}
  
为了 (wèile) is most often used to indicate the purpose of an action, or the person that will benefit from some act of kindness.  In the "purpose" sense, it corresponds pretty well to "in order to" or "for the purpose of" in English.
+
为了 (wèile) is most often used to indicate the purpose of an action or the person that will benefit from some act of kindness.  In the "purpose" sense, it almost exactly corresponds to "in order to" or "for the purpose of" in English.
  
== Standard Pattern ==
+
== Basic Usage ==
  
 
When 为了 indicates the purpose of an action, it's usually acting as a [[preposition]].  In this role, the ''whole'' "为了 phrase" should come '''before''' the verb.
 
When 为了 indicates the purpose of an action, it's usually acting as a [[preposition]].  In this role, the ''whole'' "为了 phrase" should come '''before''' the verb.
Line 20: Line 20:
  
 
*<em>为了</em> 钱 ,他 什么 都 愿意 做 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Wèile</em> qián, tā shénme dōu yuànyì zuò.</span><span class="trans">He's willing to do anything for money.</span>
 
*<em>为了</em> 钱 ,他 什么 都 愿意 做 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Wèile</em> qián, tā shénme dōu yuànyì zuò.</span><span class="trans">He's willing to do anything for money.</span>
*<em>为了</em> 孩子 的 未来 ,他 决定 搬到 上海 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Wèile</em> háizi de wèilái, tā juédìng bāndào Shanghai.</span><span class="trans">He decided to move to Shanghai for his children's future.</span>
+
*<em>为了</em> 孩子 的 未来 ,他 决定 搬到 上海 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Wèile</em> háizi de wèilái, tā juédìng bāndào Shànghǎi.</span><span class="trans">He decided to move to Shanghai for his children's future.</span>
*<em>为了</em> 这个 面试 ,他 买 了 一 套 很贵 的 西服 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Wèile</em> zhège miànshì, tā mǎi le yī tào hěn guì de xīfú.</span><span class="trans">He bought a very expensive suit for this job interview.</span>
+
*<em>为了</em> 这个 面试 ,他 买 了 一 套 很 贵 的 西服 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Wèile</em> zhège miànshì, tā mǎi le yī tào hěn guì de xīfú.</span><span class="trans">He bought a very expensive suit for this job interview.</span>
*<em>为了</em> 找 灵感 ,那个 作家 搬到 了 农村 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Wèile</em> zhǎo línggǎn, nàge zuòjiā bān dào le nóngcūn.</span><span class="trans">In order to find inspiration, that writer moved to the countryside.</span>
+
*<em>为了</em> 找 灵感 ,那个 作家 搬到 了 农村 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Wèile</em> zhǎo línggǎn, nàge zuòjiā bān dào le nóngcūn.</span><span class="trans">In order to find inspiration, that writer moved to the countryside.</span>
*<em>为了</em> 奖励 大家 ,公司 明年 带 你们 去 日本 旅行 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Wèile</em> jiǎnglì dàjiā, gōngsī míngnián dài nǐmen qù Rìběn lǚxíng.</span><span class="trans">In order to reward everyone, the company will take you on a trip to Japan next year.</span>
+
*五年 前 ,<em>为了</em> 女朋友 ,他 放弃 了 上海 的 工作。<span class="pinyin">wǔniánqián,<em>Wèile</em> nǚpéngyou, tā fàngqì le Shànghǎi de gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">Five years ago he passed up a job in Shanghai for his girlfriend.</span>
 +
*<em>为了</em> 奖励 大家 ,公司 明年 带 你们 去 日本 旅行 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Wèile</em> jiǎnglì dàjiā, gōngsī míngnián dài nǐmen qù Rìběn lǚxíng.</span><span class="trans">In order to reward everyone, the company will take you all on a trip to Japan next year.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Expressing "The reason why" ==
+
== Expressing "the Reason Why" ==
  
Sometimes you will see 为了 following 是. In this case, 为了 mean "for." Note that 为了 and 因为 both have the character 为 in them, and they have sort of similar meanings.You will also see 因为 following 是, instead of 为了. It literally means "is because."
+
Sometimes you will see 为了 following 是. In this case, 为了 mean "for." Note that 为了 and 因为 both have the character 为 in them, and they have sort of similar meanings. You will also see 因为 following 是, instead of 为了. It literally means "is because (of)."
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
Line 37: Line 38:
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
=== Example ===
+
=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*你 学 中文 <em>是 因为</em> 你 的 中国 女朋友 吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xué Zhōngwén <em>shì wèile</em> Zhōngguó ma?</span><span class="trans">Are you studying Chinese for your Chinese girlfriend?</span>
+
*我 这么 做 <em> 是 为了</em> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhème zuò <em>shì wèile</em> bāng nǐ.</span><span class="trans">I did all this to help you.</span>
*我 这么做 <em> 是 为了</em> 帮 你 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhème zuò <em>shì wèile</em> bāng nǐ.</span><span class="trans">Why I did all this is to help you.</span>
+
*他 做 兼职 <em>是 为了</em> 多 赚 点 钱 。<span class="pinyin">zuò jiānzhí <em>shì wèile</em> duō zhuàn diǎn qián.</span><span class="trans">The reason why he has a part time job is to make a little more money.</span>
*他 做 兼职 <em>是 为了</em> 多 赚 点 钱 。<span class="pinyin">Tā zuò jiānzhí <em>shì wèile</em> duō zhuàn diǎn qián.</span><span class="trans">The reason why he does a part time jog is to make a little more money.</span>
+
*你 学 中文 <em>是 因为</em> 你 的 中国 女朋友 吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xué Zhōngwén <em>shì yīnwèi</em> nǐde Zhōngguó nǚpéngyou ma?</span><span class="trans">Are you studying Chinese because of your Chinese girlfriend?</span>
*我们 反对 <em>是 因为</em>  风险 太 大 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>zhī suǒyǐ</em> fǎnduì <em>shì yīnwèi</em> fēngxiǎn tài dà.</span><span class="trans">The reason why we disagree is that the risk is too high.</span>
+
*我们 之 所以 反对 <em>是 因为</em>  风险 太 大 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen zhī suǒyǐ fǎnduì <em>shì yīnwèi</em> fēngxiǎn tài dà.</span><span class="trans">The reason why we oppose it is because the risk is too high.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
Line 76: Line 77:
  
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
+
{{HSK|HSK3}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|为了|B1|为了 + Purpose + Verb|<em>为了</em> 钱 ,他 什么 都 愿意 做 。|grammar point|ASGQGJXT}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|为了|B1|为了 + Purpose + Verb|<em>为了</em> 钱 ,他 什么 都 愿意 做 。|grammar point|ASGQGJXT}}
 
{{Rel char|为}}
 
{{Rel char|为}}
Line 85: Line 86:
 
{{Similar|"lai" used to connect two verb phrases}}
 
{{Similar|"lai" used to connect two verb phrases}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
 +
{{Subprop|Basic/Simple Sentence Patterns}}
 
{{Translation|for}}
 
{{Translation|for}}
 
{{Translation|to}}
 
{{Translation|to}}

Latest revision as of 09:30, 17 December 2020

为了 (wèile) is most often used to indicate the purpose of an action or the person that will benefit from some act of kindness. In the "purpose" sense, it almost exactly corresponds to "in order to" or "for the purpose of" in English.

Basic Usage

When 为了 indicates the purpose of an action, it's usually acting as a preposition. In this role, the whole "为了 phrase" should come before the verb.

Structure

为了 ⋯⋯ ,Subj. ⋯⋯

Note also that 为了 is a single word; the 了 here is not serving its role as a particle in this case.

Examples

  • 为了 钱 ,他 什么 都 愿意 做 。Wèile qián, tā shénme dōu yuànyì zuò.He's willing to do anything for money.
  • 为了 孩子 的 未来 ,他 决定 搬到 上海 。Wèile háizi de wèilái, tā juédìng bāndào Shànghǎi.He decided to move to Shanghai for his children's future.
  • 为了 这个 面试 ,他 买 了 一 套 很 贵 的 西服 。Wèile zhège miànshì, tā mǎi le yī tào hěn guì de xīfú.He bought a very expensive suit for this job interview.
  • 为了 找 灵感 ,那个 作家 搬到 了 农村 。Wèile zhǎo línggǎn, nàge zuòjiā bān dào le nóngcūn.In order to find inspiration, that writer moved to the countryside.
  • 五年 前 ,为了 女朋友 ,他 放弃 了 上海 的 工作。wǔniánqián,Wèile nǚpéngyou, tā fàngqì le Shànghǎi de gōngzuò.Five years ago he passed up a job in Shanghai for his girlfriend.
  • 为了 奖励 大家 ,公司 明年 带 你们 去 日本 旅行 。Wèile jiǎnglì dàjiā, gōngsī míngnián dài nǐmen qù Rìběn lǚxíng.In order to reward everyone, the company will take you all on a trip to Japan next year.

Expressing "the Reason Why"

Sometimes you will see 为了 following 是. In this case, 为了 mean "for." Note that 为了 and 因为 both have the character 为 in them, and they have sort of similar meanings. You will also see 因为 following 是, instead of 为了. It literally means "is because (of)."

Structure

⋯⋯ 是 + 为了 / 因为 ⋯⋯

Examples

  • 我 这么 做 是 为了 帮 你 。Wǒ zhème zuò shì wèile bāng nǐ.I did all this to help you.
  • 他 做 兼职 是 为了 多 赚 点 钱 。Tā zuò jiānzhí shì wèile duō zhuàn diǎn qián.The reason why he has a part time job is to make a little more money.
  • 你 学 中文 是 因为 你 的 中国 女朋友 吗 ?Nǐ xué Zhōngwén shì yīnwèi nǐde Zhōngguó nǚpéngyou ma?Are you studying Chinese because of your Chinese girlfriend?
  • 我们 之 所以 反对 是 因为 风险 太 大 。Wǒmen zhī suǒyǐ fǎnduì shì yīnwèi fēngxiǎn tài dà.The reason why we oppose it is because the risk is too high.

Note that 之所以 is a more difficult pattern, which means "the reason why" in a more formal way.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites

Podcasts