对 (duì) and 对于 (duìyú) maybe be confused by Chinese learners as they advance into more complex grammar. This article will help in distinguishing the the two!

Same as prep.

When 对 and 对于 are used as prepositions, they are basically the same. As a matter of fact, when used this way 对 is just the simplification of 对于!

Structure

Examples

对于这种事情，你有什么看法？
对这种事情，你有什么看法？
As for this kind of thing, what's your perspective?

我对于上海从来没喜欢过也没讨厌过。
我对上海从来没喜欢过也没讨厌过。
I've never liked or disliked Shanghai.

对 can be placed in more parts of the sentence

对 can be placed before the subject, after the subject, or after the adverb. 对于 in the middle of a sentence can only be placed after the adverb.

Examples

对这个问题，我们都很感兴趣。
对于这个问题，我们都很感兴趣。

我们对这个问题都很感兴趣。
我们对于这个问题都很感兴趣。

我们都对这个问题很感兴趣。
我们都对于这个问题很感兴趣。

对 can be used as a verb

As a verb meaning "direction"

When 对 is used as a verb, it expresses the meaning of direction or purpose. It is often used in a verb phrase, like 对着, 对上, 对不上.

Examples

枪口不要对着人。
Don't point the gun at people.
我喜欢对着镜子笑。
I like to laugh at the mirror.
这两本账对不上。
These two accounts don't match up.

As a verb meaning "to treat"

对 as a verb can also mean to 对待, meaning "to treat." When the verb is like this, 对 can be used for people or abstract things.

Examples

我的男朋友对我很好。
My boyfriend treats me very well.
他对工作很认真。
He treats his work very seriously.

Examples of right and wrong sentences

我们都对于这个问题很感兴趣。
我们都对这个问题很感兴趣。
他对于工作很认真。
他对工作很认真。

Example Dialog

A: 对于这件事，你怎么看？
What do you think about this?
B: 我对她很了解，她不会这么做的。
I understand her completely. She can't do it like this.

Same as prep.

Contents

Structure

Examples

对 can be placed in more parts of the sentence

Examples

对 can be used as a verb

As a verb meaning "direction"

Examples

As a verb meaning "to treat"

Examples

Examples of right and wrong sentences

Example Dialog

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries