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

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{{Grammar Box}}
 
{{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.
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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.
  
== Basic Usage ==
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== 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.
 
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.
 
=== Structure ===
 
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
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Subj. + 给 + Recipient + [Verb Phrase]
Subj. + 给 + [Recipient] + Verb + Obj.
 
 
 
 
</div>
 
</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.
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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 ===
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== Examples ==
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 我 要 <em>给</em> 孩子 们 做饭 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ yào <em>gěi</em> háizi men zuòfàn.</span><span class="trans">I need to cook for the kids.</span>
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*<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>
* <em>给</em> 你 当 翻译 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>gěi</em> nǐ dāng fānyì.</span><span class="trans">I'll serve as translator for you.</span>
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*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>
* 你的 父母 会 不 会 <em>给</em> 你 买 房子 ? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ de fùmǔ huì bu huì <em>gěi</em> nǐ mǎi fángzi? </span><span class="trans">Will your parents buy a home for you? </span>
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*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>
* <em>给</em> 我 杯 茶 好 吗 ? <span class="pinyin"><em>Gěi</em> wǒ pào bēi chá hǎo ma?</span><span class="trans">Could you make a cup of tea for me?</span>
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*<em>给</em> 我 <strong>拿</strong>  双 筷子 。<span class="pinyin">Qǐng <em>gěi</em> wǒ <strong>ná</strong>  shuāng kuàizi.</span><span class="trans">Please get a pair of chopsticks for me.</span>
* 老公 <em>给</em> 我 买 个 大 蛋糕。 <span class="pinyin">Lǎogōng <em>gěi</em> wǒ mǎi le gè dà dàngāo.</span><span class="trans">My husband bought a big cake for me.</span>
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*可以 <em>给</em> 我 <strong></strong> 杯 咖啡 吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Kěyǐ <em>gěi</em> wǒ <strong>mǎi</strong> bēi kāfēi ma?</span><span class="trans">Could you buy me a cup of coffee?</span>
* <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>
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*可以 <em>给</em> 我 <strong>一下</strong> 行李 吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Kěyǐ <em>gěi</em> wǒ <strong>yīxià</strong> xíngli ma?</span><span class="trans">Can you take my luggage for me?</span>
* <em>给</em> 你 带 了 巧克力。 <span class="pinyin"><em>gěi</em> nǐ dài le qiǎokèlì.</span><span class="trans">I brought some chocolate for you.</span>
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*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>
* 可以 <em>给</em> 我 寄 到 办公室 吗?<span class="pinyin">Kěyǐ <em>gěi</em> wǒ jì dào bàngōgnshì ma? </span><span class="trans">Could you send it to my office? </span>
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*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>
* 小时候,妈妈 经常 <em>给</em> 我 讲 故事。<span class="expl">In some cases, translating with "for" in English doesn't work well.</span><span class="pinyin">Xiǎoshíhou, māma jīngcháng <em>gěi</em> wǒ jiǎng gùshi.</span><span class="trans">When I was little, mom often told me stories.</span>
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*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>
* 医生 在 <em>给</em> 病人 看 病。 <span class="expl">In some cases, translating with "for" in English doesn't work well.</span><span class="pinyin">Yīshēng zài <em>gěi</em> bìngrén kànbìng.</span><span class="trans">The doctor is seeing the patient.</span>
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*如果 你 来 中国 玩 ,我 <em>给</em> <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>
 
 
 
== Usage After the Verb ==
 
 
 
There are some common verbs which allow the 给 to follow the verb.
 
 
 
=== Structure ===
 
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
 
 
Subj. + Verb + 给 + [Recipient] + Obj.
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
=== Examples ===
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== See also ==
  
For examples of this usage, please see the article [["gei" following verbs]].
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* [[Expressing "with" with "gen"]]
 
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* [[Verbs preceded by "gei"]]
==See also==
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* [[Using "dui"]]
 
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* [[Expressing "for" with "wei"]]
* [["For" with "wei"]]
 
* [[Verbs with "gei"]]
 
  
 
== Sources and further reading ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
*[[现代汉语虚词例释]] (p. 196)[http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B004323J90/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1 →buy]
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{{Source|现代汉语虚词例释|196}}
  
 
=== Dictionaries ===
 
=== Dictionaries ===
* [[现代汉语词典(第5版)]] (p. 464) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8/dp/B001B1RZCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693609&sr=8-1 →buy]
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{{Source|现代汉语词典(第5版)|464}}
  
  
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|给|B1|Subj. + 给 + 对象 + Verb + Obj.|我 要 <em>给</em> 孩子 们 做饭。|grammar point|ASGLHAV3}}
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{{HSK|HSK2}}{{2021-HSK|HSK2}}
{{Rel char|}}
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{{Basic Grammar|给|B1|Subj. + 给 + Recipient + Verb Phrase|妈妈 在 <em>给</em> 孩子 们 做饭 。|grammar point|ASGLHAV3}}
{{Similar|"For" with "wei"}}
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{{Similar|Using "dui"}}
{{Similar|"Gei" following verbs}}
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{{Similar|Verbs followed by "gei"}}
{{Similar|Verbs with "gei"}}
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{{Similar|Verbs preceded by "gei"}}
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{{Similar|Expressing "for" with "wei"}}
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{{Similar|Comparing "gei" and "wei"}}  
 
{{Used for|Expressing Purpose}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing Purpose}}
 
{{POS|Prepositions}}
 
{{POS|Prepositions}}
 
{{Translation|for}}
 
{{Translation|for}}

Latest revision as of 08:55, 21 April 2021

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 (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

  • 客人 倒茶Gěi kèrén dàochá.Pour tea for the guests.
  • 妈妈 在 孩子 们 做饭Māma zài gěi háizi men zuòfàn.Mom cooks for the kids.
  • 我 儿子 喜欢 小狗 洗澡Wǒ érzi xǐhuan gěi xiǎogǒu xǐzǎo.My son likes giving our dog a bath.
  • 一 双 筷子 。Qǐng gěi yī shuāng kuàizi.Please get a pair of chopsticks for me.
  • 可以 一 杯 咖啡 吗 ?Kěyǐ gěimǎi yī bēi kāfēi ma?Could you buy me a cup of coffee?
  • 可以 拿 一下 行李 吗 ?Kěyǐ gěiná yīxià xíngli ma?Can you take my luggage for me?
  • 这个 周末 我们 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 开 一下 门 吗 ?Wǒ méi dài yàoshi, nǐ néng gěikāi yīxià mén ma?I didn't bring the key. Could you open the door for me?
  • 你 想 打扫 房间 吗 ?Nǐ xiǎng gěidǎsǎo fángjiān ma?Would you like to clean the room for me?
  • 如果 你 来 中国 玩 ,我 当 导游Rúguǒ nǐ lái Zhōngguó wán, wǒ gěidāng dǎoyóu.If you come visit China, I'll be your tour guide.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries