Deep End
← Grammar guides

Level Everyday Chinese · HSK 2

给, 让 and 往: For Someone, Letting Someone, Toward

Chinese prepositions come before the verb, with their noun: "for me buy" rather than "buy for me". This guide covers three that you'll hear every day: 给 (for, to), 让 (let, make) and 往 (toward).

给 + person + verb

给 (gěi) + person before the verb marks who receives or benefits: 给我打电话 (call me), 给妈妈做饭 (cook for Mum). Note that English "to" in "write to me" or "call me" is often 给 in Chinese.

  • 到了给我打电话。

    Dào le gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà.

    Call me when you get there.

  • 我给你介绍一下。

    Wǒ gěi nǐ jièshào yíxià.

    Let me introduce you.

  • 他每天给女儿做早饭。

    Tā měi tiān gěi nǚ'ér zuò zǎofàn.

    He makes breakfast for his daughter every day.

让 + person + verb

让 (ràng) + person + verb covers English let, make and ask (someone to do something). With feelings it means "make someone feel": 这让我很高兴.

  • 让我想想。

    Ràng wǒ xiǎngxiang.

    Let me think.

  • 老师让我们写作业。

    Lǎoshī ràng wǒmen xiě zuòyè.

    The teacher had us do homework.

  • 妈妈不让我玩手机。

    Māma bú ràng wǒ wán shǒujī.

    Mum won't let me play on my phone.

  • 这件事让我很高兴。

    Zhè jiàn shì ràng wǒ hěn gāoxìng.

    This made me very happy.

往 and 向: toward

往 (wǎng) + direction + verb gives directions: 往前走 (go straight ahead), 往左拐 (turn left). 向 (xiàng) also means toward and is used with people too: 向他学习 (learn from him). 对面 is opposite, 经过 is to pass by.

  • 一直往前走，然后往右拐。

    Yìzhí wǎng qián zǒu, ránhòu wǎng yòu guǎi.

    Go straight ahead, then turn right.

  • 银行在超市对面。

    Yínháng zài chāoshì duìmiàn.

    The bank is opposite the supermarket.

  • 我们应该向他学习。

    Wǒmen yīnggāi xiàng tā xuéxí.

    We should learn from him.

Common mistakes

  • ✗我打电话你。

    ✓我给你打电话。

    Wǒ gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà.

    打电话 already has its object (电话), so the person you call needs 给: before the verb, or after it as 打电话给你.

  • ✗我让他。 (meaning "I let him do it")

    ✓我让他去了。

    Wǒ ràng tā qù le.

    让 needs a verb after the person: let him do what?

  • ✗走往前。

    ✓往前走。

    Wǎng qián zǒu.

    Like all prepositions, 往 + direction comes before the verb.

Questions learners ask

Is 让 the same as 叫?

In "make / tell someone to" they overlap: 老师叫我们写作业 means the same. 让 is the more neutral choice and also covers "let".

When is 给 a verb and when is it a preposition?

As a verb it means give: 给我一本书. Before another verb it's a preposition, "for, to": 给我买一本书 (buy a book for me).

Practice this in lessons

The Everyday Chinese lessons teach this step by step, with exercises and review built in.

Practice this in lessons →

Related grammar guides