3 · Expressions (level 4)
In order to: wèile
the purpose clause
Wèile puts the purpose first: in order to do this, somebody does that.
为了 + verb phrase states a purpose, and in Chinese the purpose normally comes first: 为了学好中文，他每天听中文广播, “to learn Chinese well, he listens to Chinese radio every day”. English usually puts the purpose at the end (“… in order to learn Chinese”); Chinese opens with it, before the subject, and then says what is done for it.
为了 also takes a noun or a pronoun and then means “for the sake of”: 为了孩子, “for the children’s sake”. Note the tone: the 为 of 为了, 因为 and 为什么 is fourth tone; the same character is second tone in 认为 and 成为.
When the purpose comes after the action, Chinese says 是为了: 我来中国是为了学中文, “I came to China in order to study Chinese” — literally “my coming to China is for studying Chinese”. A bare 为了 tacked on at the end sounds unfinished. And for the simplest purposes Chinese uses no word at all: 我去超市买菜, two verbs in a row, is “I am going to the supermarket to buy food”.
Do not mix up 为了 and 因为. 因为 looks back at a cause that is already there (因为下雨, because it is raining); 为了 looks forward to a goal that has not yet been reached (为了不迟到, so as not to be late).
The form
| purpose first | 为了赶火车，他六点就起床了。 |
| purpose after: shì wèile | 我学中文是为了工作。 |
| for somebody’s sake | 为了孩子，… |
| so as not to | 为了不迟到，… |
| asking for the purpose | 你这样做是为了什么？ |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
A wèile phrase normally opens the sentence; the action done for it follows.
为了省钱，他每天自己做饭。To save money, he cooks for himself every day.
If the purpose comes after the action, say shì wèile.
他这么努力是为了让父母放心。He works this hard so that his parents need not worry.
With a noun or a pronoun, wèile means “for the sake of”.
为了孩子，他们搬到了学校附近。For the children’s sake, they moved near the school.
To go somewhere to do something, two verbs in a row are enough; wèile is not needed.
我去邮局寄包裹。I am going to the post office to send a parcel.
A closer look
Purpose, reason and benefit
Three short words cover what English does with “for” and “because”. 因为 gives a reason that already exists. 为了 gives a goal that lies ahead. 为 on its own, a preposition, names who benefits: 为大家服务, “to serve everyone”.
A sentence can contain both a reason and a purpose, and then the difference is easy to hear: 因为明天有考试，为了考好，他今晚不出门 — because there is an exam tomorrow, and in order to do well in it, he is staying in tonight.
How to spot it
- 为了
- 是为了
Example sentences
为了减肥，她晚上不吃米饭。To lose weight, she eats no rice in the evening.
为了不迟到，我提前半个小时出门。So as not to be late, I leave the house half an hour early.
我每天跑步是为了身体健康。I run every day for my health.
为了这次比赛，他们练了三个月。They trained for three months for this competition.
父母做的一切都是为了我们。Everything our parents did was for us.
为了看日出，我们凌晨四点就上山了。To see the sunrise, we set off up the mountain at four in the morning.
8 more example sentences
为了练习口语，他常常跟邻居聊天。To practise speaking, he often chats with his neighbours.
为了安全，开车时请系好安全带。For safety, please fasten your seat belt when driving.
她辞职是为了照顾生病的母亲。She gave up her job to look after her sick mother.
为了买到便宜的机票，他在网上查了一晚上。To get a cheap plane ticket, he searched online all evening.
你这么早起床是为了什么？What did you get up so early for?
为了让大家听清楚，老师说得很慢。So that everyone could hear clearly, the teacher spoke slowly.
为了这个家，他一直在外地工作。For the sake of this family, he has always worked away from home.
我存钱是为了明年去国外读书。I am saving money so that I can go abroad to study next year.
Worth knowing (1)
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“For you” is usually not wèile
A present “for you” is 给你的, not 为了你. 为了你 is heavy: it means that somebody did something, often something hard, for your sake. Said about a bunch of flowers it sounds like a line from a film.
这束花是给你的。These flowers are for you.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
English puts the purpose at the end with “to” or “in order to”. Chinese either opens with 为了 or, when the purpose comes last, says 是为了. Simplest of all is no word: 我来北京学习中文.
Wèile goes first; if the purpose comes last, say shì wèile.
Your turn
8 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.