\tMandarin prepositions are used to link nouns, pronouns, and noun phrases within a sentence. Mandarin prepositions can refer to movement within time or space, or function as general prepositions such as the English prepositions with, to, or for.<\/p>\n
\tGENERAL PREPOSITIONS
\tThe most common general Mandarin prepositions are:<\/p>\n
\t\u5c0d \/ \u5bf9 – duì – to (someone)
\t\u8ddf – g\u0113n – with; from
\t\u7d66 \/ \u7ed9 – g\u011bi – to; for
\t\u66ff – tì – for (someone)<\/p>\n
\t\u7528 – yòng – with
\tUSING MANDARIN PREPOSITIONS
\tThe object of a Mandarin preposition comes directly after the preposition, and the OBJECT + PREPOSITION phrase (the Prepositional Phrase or PP) comes before the verb, as in this example:<\/p>\n
\tZhègè xi\u01ceo n\u01dahái duì w\u01d2 w\u0113ixiào.
\t\u9019\u500b\u5c0f\u5973\u5b69\u5c0d\u6211\u5fae\u7b11\u3002
\t\u8fd9\u4e2a\u5c0f\u5973\u5b69\u5bf9\u6211\u5fae\u7b11\u3002
\tThis little girl smiled at me. (literally: This little girl at me smiled.)
\tModifiers such as adverbs are placed either before the PP or after the verb’s object:<\/p>\n
\tW\u01d2 míngti\u0101n huì g\u0113n t\u0101 shu\u014d.
\t\u6211\u660e\u5929\u6703\u8ddf\u4ed6\u8aaa\u3002
\t\u6211\u660e\u5929\u4f1a\u8ddf\u4ed6\u8bf4\u3002
\tI will speak with him tomorrow. (literally: I tomorrow will with him speak.)
\tMANDARIN PREPOSITION EXAMPLES
\tHere are a few sentences with Mandarin prepositions. Please note that there may be more than one translation of English prepositions. Mandarin prepositions have stricter usage than English.<\/p>\n
\tG\u0112N
\tJ\u012bnti\u0101n w\u01censhang w\u01d2 yào g\u0113n t\u0101 qù ch\u012bfàn.
\t\u4eca\u5929\u665a\u4e0a\u6211\u8981\u8ddf\u4ed6\u53bb\u5403\u98ef\u3002
\t\u4eca\u5929\u665a\u4e0a\u6211\u8981\u8ddf\u4ed6\u53bb\u5403\u996d\u3002
\tThis evening I am going to have dinner with him. (literally: Today’s evening I am going with him to go and eat food.)
\tG\u011aI
\tL\u01d0 xi\u0101nsheng xi\u01ceng g\u011bi t\u0101 de tàitai m\u01cei y\u012b tiáo j\u012bn xiàngliàn.
\t\u674e\u5148\u751f\u60f3\u7d66\u4ed6\u7684\u592a\u592a\u8cb7\u4e00\u689d\u91d1\u9805\u934a\u3002
\t\u674e\u5148\u751f\u60f3\u7ed9\u4ed6\u7684\u592a\u592a\u4e70\u4e00\u6761\u91d1\u9879\u70bc\u3002
\tMr. Li is thinking of buying a gold necklace for his wife. (literally: Mr. Li is thinking for his wife to buy a gold necklace.)
\tTÌ
\tT\u0101 y\u01d0j\u012bng tì w\u01d2 xi\u016b h\u01ceo le.
\t\u5979\u5df2\u7d93\u66ff\u6211\u4fee\u597d\u4e86\u3002
\t\u5979\u5df2\u7ecf\u66ff\u6211\u4fee\u597d\u4e86\u3002
\tShe has already fixed it for me. (literally: She already for me fixed it.)<\/p>\n
\tYÒNG
\tT\u0101 yòng mù gùn qi\u0101o w\u01d2 de tóu.
\t\u4ed6\u7528\u6728\u68cd\u6572\u6211\u7684\u982d\u3002
\t\u4ed6\u7528\u6728\u68cd\u6572\u6211\u7684\u5934\u3002
\tHe hit me on the head with a stick. (literally: He with a stick hit my head.)<\/p>\n