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

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*我 <em>是</em> <strong>来</strong> 旅游 <em>的</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>shì</em> <strong>lái</strong> lǚyóu <em>de</em>.</span><span class="trans">I came for traveling.</span>
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*我 <em>是</em> <strong>来</strong> 旅游 <em>的</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>shì</em> <strong>lái</strong> lǚyóu <em>de</em>.</span><span class="trans">I came to travel.</span>
 
*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>
 
*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>
 
*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 an internship.</span>
 
*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 an internship.</span>
*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 here to help us? Really?</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>
*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 to hang out with people. Instead, we're there to do research.</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 there to hang out with people. Instead, we're there to do research.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 08:10, 21 June 2018

There are many ways to explain why you are doing something or what's the use of things. This article will explain another way to do that, and it just happens to involve 是⋯⋯的. This isn't to say that you can't make these sentences without using 是 and 的 but this can help emphasize why you are doing something or what's the use of thing, giving your sentence a little more kick.

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

  • 旅游 shì lái lǚyóu de.I came to travel.
  • 我们 都 出差 Wǒmen dōu shì chūchāi de.We are all going on business trips.
  • 他们 都 实习 Tāmen dōu shì lái shíxí de.They all came here to do an internship.
  • 你 真的 帮 我们 吗 ? Nǐ zhēnde shì lái bāng wǒmen de ma?Are you really here to help us?
  • 我们 不 做 调查 Wǒmen bù shì wán de, shì zuò diàochá de.We're not going there to hang out with people. Instead, we're there 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 用来 做 汤 Zhè zhǒng cài shì yònglái zuò tāng de.This kind of vegetable is for making soup.
  • 这 个 房间 客人 住 Zhège fángjiān shì gěi kèrén zhù de.This room is for our guest to live in.
  • 这些 钱 孩子 上 大学 zhèxiē qián shì gěi háizi shàng dàxué de.This money is for our children going to college.
  • 这些 礼物 客户 准备 Zhèxiē lǐwù shì gěi kèhù zhǔnbèi de.These presents are prepared for the clients.
  • 用来 ,不 用来Qián shì yònglái huā de, bù shì yònglái shěng de.Money is for spending, not for saving.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books