给对跟

A1 — 介词

Prepositions 给, 对, and 跟 for recipients, targets, and companions

I can express recipients, targets, and companions using 给, 对, and 跟

Examples

我给你打电话。 — I'll call you.
老师对学生很好。 — The teacher is very nice to the students.
我跟朋友一起吃饭。 — I eat with friends.

介词A1

Prepositions 给/对/跟

Prepositions 给, 对, and 跟 for recipients, targets, and companions

Learning Goal

I can express recipients, targets, and companions using 给, 对, and 跟

Exam Skills:HSK 1 ReadingHSK 1 Speaking

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

我给你打电话。

I'll call you.

老师对学生很好。

The teacher is very nice to the students.

我跟朋友一起吃饭。

I eat with friends.

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

给、对、跟

Three prepositions for expressing who an action involves.

Prep	Pinyin	Meaning	Example
给	gěi	to / for (recipient)	给你打电话 (call you)
对	duì	to / toward (target)	对我说 (say to me)
跟	gēn	with (companion)	跟朋友去 (go with friends)

给 marks the recipient: 我给他写信 (I write a letter to him). Can also be a verb: 给你 (give you).

对 marks the target of speech/attitude: 他对我很好 (He is nice to me).

跟 marks a companion: 我跟你一起去 (I'll go with you together).

All three come before the verb, like all Chinese prepositions.

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Confusing 给 (recipient) with 对 (target). Use 给 for giving/sending actions, 对 for attitudes/speech directed at someone. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English 'to' covers both 给 and 对. Chinese splits them: 给 = giving TO, 对 = directed AT.

Common Error Patterns

Confused 给 (recipient) with 对 (target of attitude/speech)

给 = giving/sending TO someone; 对 = attitude/speech directed AT someone.

我给你打电话。

I'll call you.

给 (gěi) marks the recipient of an action: 给你 (to you) + 打电话 (make a phone call).

老师对学生很好。

The teacher is very nice to the students.

对 (duì) marks the target of an attitude: 对学生 (toward students) + 很好 (very nice).

我跟朋友一起吃饭。

I eat with friends.

跟 (gēn) marks a companion: 跟朋友 (with friends). 一起 (yìqǐ, together) often pairs with 跟.

Practice in course

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

A1 Course

← Back to topics

Put it into practice

Try a free exercise from the course

Frequently asked questions

When is 给对跟 used?: 给 marks the recipient : 我给他写信 (I write a letter to him). Can also be a verb: 给你 (give you).
How is 给对跟 formed?: 对 marks the target of speech/attitude: 他对我很好 (He is nice to me). All three come before the verb , like all Chinese prepositions.
What are common mistakes with 给对跟?: Confusing 给 (recipient) with 对 (target). Use 给 for giving/sending actions, 对 for attitudes/speech directed at someone. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English 'to' covers both 给 and 对. Chinese splits them: 给 = giving TO, 对 = directed AT. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: 给 ≈ dative (кому), 对 ≈ к (к нему), 跟 ≈ с (с другом). Close mapping! 🇨🇿 Czech speakers: 给 ≈ dativ (komu), 对 ≈ k/vůči, 跟 ≈ s (s kamarádem). Fairly intuitive.

给、对、跟

Three prepositions for expressing who an action involves.

Prep

Pinyin

Meaning

Example

给

gěi

to / for (recipient)

给你打电话 (call you)

对

duì

to / toward (target)

对我说 (say to me)

跟

gēn

with (companion)

跟朋友去 (go with friends)

给 marks the recipient: 我给他写信 (I write a letter to him). Can also be a verb: 给你 (give you).

对 marks the target of speech/attitude: 他对我很好 (He is nice to me).

跟 marks a companion: 我跟你一起去 (I'll go with you together).

All three come before the verb, like all Chinese prepositions.

Frequently asked questions

When is 给对跟 used?

给 marks the recipient : 我给他写信 (I write a letter to him). Can also be a verb: 给你 (give you).

How is 给对跟 formed?

对 marks the target of speech/attitude: 他对我很好 (He is nice to me). All three come before the verb , like all Chinese prepositions.

What are common mistakes with 给对跟?

Confusing 给 (recipient) with 对 (target). Use 给 for giving/sending actions, 对 for attitudes/speech directed at someone. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English 'to' covers both 给 and 对. Chinese splits them: 给 = giving TO, 对 = directed AT. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: 给 ≈ dative (кому), 对 ≈ к (к нему), 跟 ≈ с (с другом). Close mapping! 🇨🇿 Czech speakers: 给 ≈ dativ (komu), 对 ≈ k/vůči, 跟 ≈ s (s kamarádem). Fairly intuitive.