TO vs. FOR (a very simple explanation)

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This is an explanation designed for Brazilian students.

TO is used with verbs as you all know (e.g. the verb "to be").

It is also used in cases where a "transfer" happens.

E.g.

I will give this book to you. (from me to you)
I will go to work. (from home to work)
I will talk to her. (information goes from me to her)

FOR is used in the following situations:

for the benefit of

e.g. I will do that for you.

purpose

e.g. This brush is for painting.

Those aren't rules written in stone, they are just general guidelines to help ESL students (especially Portuguese speakers) better grasp this concept.

Here is an example with both:

Give this book to him but it is for his father.

Another:

I will speak to her for you.

Brazilians often ask me why this is so difficult foir them. The answer: Because both to and for are the same word in Portuguese: para

If you have any doubts ask them here. An English teacher will be happy to answer them.

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I like this one,

I've been using it with my students. It's easier to use this explanation if you have students who speak

Portuguese.

P.S. This is always the first thing Rob teaches new ESL teachers.

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It's not just Portuguese-speakers. Spanish-speakers have the same problem.

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c.i. : do you speak other languages?
If so, Is there such a large difference between the two? or with the one does there come the conherence for the other?

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Hmmm.

If I translate your examples into Spanish, "para" would be used only in the "purpose-for" situation; "por" would be used in the "for your benefit-for" situation, while the "transfer" examples would use "a", "con" or no preposition at all.

Te daré este libro. (no preposition)
Iré a trabajar.
Hablaré con ella
Lo haré por tí.
Este cepillo es para pintar.

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Em Português tambem usa-se "com" para o exemplo de conversar.

"Converse com ela um pouco"

Em certas situacões (não revelante a conversa entre duas pessoas) "por" tambem se-usa se não me engano.

Mas "para" serve em muitas instancias.

Em Espanhol tambem não se usa "para" para a situacão de destino de um objeto?
e.g.
"Esto es para usted"

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That's why your explanation was good, regardless of the prepositions we use in our mother tongue.

En español:

Va a tí: it goes in your direction.
Va por tí: it goes for your sake or in your honor.
Va para tí: it goes to you: you are the recipient.

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So in Spanish you don't use:

Vai para lá.

That's something I get confused about, I speak Portuñhol now.

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We have both possibilities:

Voy allá.
Voy para allá.

But, say it's your house, the restaurant, to vote, then it's:

Voy a tu casa.
Voy al restaurante.
Voy a votar.

[BTW, Italian use of prepositions is even harder; I was taught it usually depends if the place you're going to is public or not].

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Thanks, Craven and fbaezer. If I'm not careful, I might learn something@

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Merry Andrew wrote:

Thanks, Craven and fbaezer. If I'm not careful, I might learn something@

Well we couldn't have that now could we?(hahahahah)
Laughing

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I'll try to be careful, Douglas. My problem is, I can get by in spoken Spanish when I have to, but I have never formally studied the language so my grammar is terrible (non-existent might be closer) and my vocabulary extremely limited. But, as language per se (any language) is a subject close to my heart, I'm always eager to learn.

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How many languages do you speak
craven, fbaezer and merry andrew??

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I took Spanish and French in college and learned absolutely nothing. It has always been my contention that the approach is backwards. In English, children learn to converse first, then learn the grammar. That's the way that it should be taught in the classroom.

Spanish and Portugese are so very beautiful to the ear as most of the Romance languages are.

Babs, I speak three languages: Virginiaese, Mountainese, and English. Laughing

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Many thanks
It is nice explanation ......

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Hi, Babs. Sorry not to have answered your question earlier, but I didn't see it. I speak Latvian as well as I speak English. Can get by in French, German and Spanish. Not really fluent in any of them. Know a few words of Japanese, a few words of Arabic. Oh, and some Yiddish, which comes naturally if you know German.

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Which is correct?

What makes you perfect IS your imperfections

or

What makes you perfect ARE your imperfections?

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meehnU, Welcome to the archives and to A2K.

Just transform the sentence so that it reads:

Your imperfections ARE what make you perfect.

That way, you have the plural verb to go with the plural noun.

Hope this helps.

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Right on, Letty.

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@Craven de Kere,

i'm portuguese too, and it is very difficult to me distinguish it!
Your explanation is brilliant!
tx

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TO vs. FOR (a very simple explanation)

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