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

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*妈妈 在 <em>给</em> 孩子 们 做饭 。<span class="pinyin">Māma zài <em>gěi</em> háizi men zuòfàn.</span><span class="trans">Mom is cooking for the kids.</span>
 
*妈妈 在 <em>给</em> 孩子 们 做饭 。<span class="pinyin">Māma zài <em>gěi</em> háizi men zuòfàn.</span><span class="trans">Mom is cooking for the kids.</span>
 
*请 <em>给</em> 我 拿 一 双 筷子 。<span class="pinyin">Qǐng <em>gěi</em> wǒ ná yī shuāng kuàizi.</span><span class="trans">Please give me a pair of chopsticks.</span>
 
*请 <em>给</em> 我 拿 一 双 筷子 。<span class="pinyin">Qǐng <em>gěi</em> wǒ ná yī shuāng kuàizi.</span><span class="trans">Please give me a pair of chopsticks.</span>
*<em>给</em> 我们 介绍 一下 这个 新 项目 吧 。<span class="trans">Introduce this new project for us, please.</span>
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*<em>给</em> 我们 介绍 一下 这个 新 项目 吧 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Gěi</em> wǒmen jièshào yīxià zhège xīn xiàngmù ba.</span><span class="trans">Tell us about this new project, please.</span>
 
*老公 <em>给</em> 我 买 了 一 个 大 蛋糕 。 <span class="pinyin">Lǎogōng <em>gěi</em> wǒ mǎi le yī gè dà dàngāo.</span><span class="trans">My husband bought a big cake for me.</span>
 
*老公 <em>给</em> 我 买 了 一 个 大 蛋糕 。 <span class="pinyin">Lǎogōng <em>gěi</em> wǒ mǎi le yī gè dà dàngāo.</span><span class="trans">My husband bought a big cake for me.</span>
 
*我 儿子 喜欢 <em>给</em> 小狗 洗澡 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ érzi xǐhuan <em>gěi</em> xiǎogǒu xǐzǎo.</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 洗澡 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ érzi xǐhuan <em>gěi</em> xiǎogǒu xǐzǎo.</span><span class="trans">My son likes to give a bath to our dog.</span>

Revision as of 02:03, 7 November 2017

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.

Structure

The meaning of 给 is very similar to (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, or company, or any number of other types of recipients.

Examples

  • 我 倒 一 杯 水 ,谢谢 。Gěi wǒ dào yī bēi shuǐ, xièxie.Pour a cup of tea for me, thank you.
  • 妈妈 在 孩子 们 做饭 。Māma zài gěi háizi men zuòfàn.Mom is cooking for the kids.
  • 我 拿 一 双 筷子 。Qǐng gěi wǒ ná yī shuāng kuàizi.Please give me a pair of chopsticks.
  • 我们 介绍 一下 这个 新 项目 吧 。Gěi wǒmen jièshào yīxià zhège xīn xiàngmù ba.Tell us about this new project, please.
  • 老公 我 买 了 一 个 大 蛋糕 。 Lǎogōng gěi wǒ mǎi le yī gè dà dàngāo.My husband bought a big cake for me.
  • 我 儿子 喜欢 小狗 洗澡 。Wǒ érzi xǐhuan gěi xiǎogǒu xǐzǎo.My son likes to give a bath to our dog.
  • 如果 你 来 中国 玩 ,我 你 当 导游 。Rúguǒ nǐ lái Zhōngguó wán, wǒ gěi nǐ dāng dǎoyóu.If you come to visit China, I'll serve as tour guide for you.
  • 如果 你 自己 不 打扫 ,谁 会 你 打扫 ?Rúguǒ nǐ zìjǐ bù dǎsǎo, shéi huì gěi nǐ dǎsǎo?If you don't do the cleaning by yourself, who else will do it you?
  • 我 没 带 钥匙 ,你 能 我 开 一下 门 吗 ?Wǒ méi dài yàoshi, nǐ néng gěi wǒ kāi yīxià mén ma?I don't have the key. Could you please open the door for me?
  • 小时候,妈妈 经常 我 讲 故事 。In some cases, translating with "for" in English doesn't work well.Xiǎoshíhou, māma jīngcháng gěi wǒ jiǎng gùshi.When I was little, mom often told stories to me.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries