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

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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 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.
  
 
== Structure ==
 
== Structure ==
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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, 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 ==
 
== Examples ==
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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 a cup of tea for the guest.</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>
*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>
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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>
*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>
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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>
*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>
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*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>
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*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>
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*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>
 
*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>
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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>
*你 想 让 我 <em>给</em> <strong>打扫</strong> 吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xiǎng ràng wǒ <em>gěi</em> <strong>dǎsǎo</strong> ma?</span><span class="trans">Are you asking me to clean your room for you? </span>
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*你 想 <em>给</em> <strong>打扫</strong> 房间 吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xiǎng <em>gěi</em> <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 serve as a tour guide for you.</span>
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*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>
  
 
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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}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|给|B1|Subj. + 给 + Recipient + Verb Phrase|妈妈 在 <em>给</em> 孩子 们 做饭 。|grammar point|ASGLHAV3}}
 
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{{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