Use of Prepositions, 对 为 给

[lockdoc]

Hallo everybody,

So first of all: I found this forum yesterday and was really amazed by all the knowledge here, especially the Video sections. Thanks for that. xD

So to my problem: I really struggle on how to use those 3 prepositions (对 为 给)... maybe there are more who knows.

A):

I have a few English sentences I dont know how to translate into Chinese. I bet I have to use one of the three above prepositions, but cannot figure it out

1.) I will open the bottle for you

2.) To me he seems like a good person

3.) He has always been good to me

4.) Why did you copy that from him?

5.) I will give him a good time

B):

Anyone knows a good tutorial where I can read up about those prepositions when to use which and with a few example sentences?

Thank you

[lockdoc]

Ahh I also forgot 向 as a proposition with 对 为 and 给

Sorry for pushing this, but I dont know how to edit the initial topic.

[马盖云]

Not an expert, hope someone better chimes in. I am in the same situation. Heres are some ideas I have, without fleshing out the entire sentences...

1. Consider using 帮忙 in there. It means help someone do something, but every explanation I hear says it can more often have the meaning of 'help' by actually doing the action for the other person, not just helping. 为 means 'on behalf of, for" so maybe that could be used here. The truth is, no one would probably bother to say that sentence out loud. If someone wanted to help you open a bottle, they would probably point to it or grab it and say "我来"! Which basically means "I'll get that"

2. 对我来说，他。。。 This a setphrase that means "as far as I'm concerned" or "According to me"

3。对我。。。 here dui has the meaning "towards" so your meaning "towards me" he has always been good..

4。 向他 from him

5。 给 I don't really know, there is a thread right below yours about 给，you should read that. Specifically about using it for abstract giving as opposed to giving physical items. This sentence creeps me out a little! :blink:

[aristotle1990]

1.) I will open the bottle for you

我给你打开。

2.) To me he seems like a good person

对我来说，他是个好人。

3.) He has always been good to me

他一直对我很好。

4.) Why did you copy that from him?

你为什么要抄袭他的？

or 从他抄袭

5.) I will give him a good time

我会让他玩得很愉快。

I don't know if you can use the English "give" here; maybe 我会给他带来好时光?

[lockdoc]

Thank you.

Do you also have an example for a 向- and a 为-sentence.

Those prepositions are such a myth to me. When I read your sentences above it makes sort of sense to me, but when I try to freely create my own ones in situations I am kind of lost about that. We don't cover much grammar in our Chinese class, it's just mostly about speaking and trying to pick up from that, which makes it hard for me. Any recommendation about some tutorials for this topic?

[daofeishi]

Whenever we say "I will do X for you" in English, it's often more naturally expressed using 帮 in Chinese.

I'll open the bottle for you

我帮你打开瓶子

Can you hold this for me?

你能不能帮我拿一下这个？

He posted the letter for me

他帮我寄信。

Those prepositions are such a myth to me. When I read your sentences above it makes sort of sense to me, but when I try to freely create my own ones in situations I am kind of lost about that. We don't cover much grammar in our Chinese class, it's just mostly about speaking and trying to pick up from that, which makes it hard for me. Any recommendation about some tutorials for this topic?

You could go into it through a purely grammatical approach, but I think the best way of learning the right prepositions is through exposure. Prepositions in any language are hell. ESL learners complain about that all the time. Why is it called to be "on" the phone and not, let's say, "in" the phone, why is it "in" the afternoon but "on" Thursday afternoon, why are you "at" the library when you are obviously inside it, etc, etc.

I don't think it is possible to capture all possible uses of prepositions in a few grammatical rules. Getting them right is a matter of learning the correct structures through massive exposure. Try to internalize grammatically correct sentences, and after a while you will get a feel for what is correct.

[aristotle1990]

Do you also have an example for a 向- and a 为-sentence.

向 more means "towards" or "in the direction of," as in "向他扔" (throw it at him).

为 means to do something "for." 我为那家公司工作 (I work for that company).

As daofeishi says, exposure is key.