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<h1>Expressing "for" with "gei"
</h1>

<p>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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<h2>Contents</h2>

  
<div class="contents"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">1 Structure </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">2 Examples </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">3 See also </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">4 Sources and further reading </span></li>
<ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">4.1 Books </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">4.2 Dictionaries</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<h3>Structure</h3>

<p>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.</p>

<div class="deux">Subj. + 给 + Recipient + [Verb Phrase]</div>

<p>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.</p>

<h3>Examples</h3>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">给 客人 倒茶 。
Gěi kèrén dàochá.
Pour a cup of tea for the guest. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">妈妈 在 给 孩子 们 做饭 。
Māma zài gěi háizi men zuòfàn.
Mom is cooking for the kids. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 儿子 喜欢 给 小狗 洗澡 。
Wǒ érzi xǐhuan gěi xiǎogǒu xǐzǎo.
My son likes to give a bath to our dog. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">请 给 我 拿 一 双 筷子 。
Qǐng gěi wǒ ná yī shuāng kuàizi.
Please give me a pair of chopsticks. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">可以 给 我 买 一 杯 咖啡 吗 ？
Kěyǐ gěi wǒ mǎi yī bēi kāfēi ma?
Could you please buy me a cup of coffee? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">可以 给 我 拿 一下 行李 吗 ？
Kěyǐ gěi wǒ ná yīxià xíngli ma?
Can you take my suitcase for me? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">这个 周末 我们 给 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. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 没 带 钥匙 ，你 能 给 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? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">你 想 让 我 给 你 打扫 房间 吗 ？
Nǐ xiǎng ràng wǒ gěi nǐ dǎsǎo fángjiān ma?
Are you asking me to clean your room for you? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">如果 你 来 中国 玩 ，我 给 你 当 导游 。
Rúguǒ nǐ lái Zhōngguó wán, wǒ gěi nǐ dāng dǎoyóu.
If you come to visit China, I'll be your tour guide.</span><br/></li>
</ul>
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<h3>See also</h3>

<div class="See-also"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Expressing "with" with "gen" </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Verbs preceded by "gei" </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Using "dui" </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Expressing "for" with "wei"</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Sources and further reading</h3>

<h4>Books</h4>

<div class="See-also"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">现代汉语虚词例释 (pp. 196) →buy </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Dictionaries

现代汉语词典（第5版） (pp. 464) →buy</span><br/></li>
</ul>
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