<p>It is a [topic + comment/ opinion] grammar structure </p>

<p>晚饭 (dinner) is a topic</p>

<p>妈妈做了面条给我们吃。(mother made noodle for us to eat)  is a comment</p>

<p>The comment here is a basic [Subject +V + object]</p>

<ul>
<li><p>You can replace the topic, e.g. Change 晚饭 to 午餐 and write "午餐妈妈做了面条" = "(for) lunch, mom made noodle"</p></li>
<li><p>You can replace the comment, e.g. Change 面条 to 饺子 and "晚饭妈妈做了饺子" = "(for) dinner, mom made dumplings"</p></li>
</ul>

<p>Similar example:</p>

<p>Topic: 工作 (works)</p>

<p>Comment: 很难找到 (very hard to find)</p>

<ul>
<li><p>Topic + comment sentence: 工作很难找到 (works are very hard to find )</p></li>
<li><p>SVO sentence: 很难找到工作 (it is hard to find works)</p></li>
</ul>

<p><em>Using [topic + comment sentence] emphasize the topic</em></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-07T22:03:31.010Z
I understand is a topic comment structure now. What I don’t understand is 给我们吃 structure after the comment. Where is that grammar point.
ANTXON
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-07T22:46:16.053Z
給 before the object “us” is functioning as “for”
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-07T21:34:41.597Z
2019-11-07T21:56:04.493Z
2019-11-07T21:56:04.493Z
Tang Ho
<p>As mentioned in Tang Ho's answer, this is a topic+comment structure.</p>
<p>Regarding your question as to the 给我们吃 structure：I have disagreed with Tang Ho in other places regarding this, but my opinion is that it is much more useful to understand 给 as the verb that it clearly is, rather than a preposition. 给我们吃 can be understood as “Give us to eat&quot;. We can treat this whole phrase as a result complement of the verb phrase “做了面条”.</p>
<p>Compare this to a more classically accepted example of a result complement: 看完 = finish reading. Verb phrase is 看, to read， and the complement is &quot;complete&quot;. So 看完 = reading to the effect of completion.</p>
<p>By this logic: 做了面条给我们吃 = made noodles to the effect of giving us something to eat.</p>
<p>Of course the smoother translation would use the preposition &quot;for&quot;, as that is how English works. It's <em>not</em> how Chinese works, though, so if you're trying to understand why this structure is used in this way it is not so useful to think of 给 as &quot;for&quot;. It means &quot;to give&quot;, though it is used to much greater effect in Chinese than the English verb &quot;to give&quot;.</p>
<p>Preempting the disagreements that will likely follow this post: If 给 means &quot;for&quot;, then  给我吃面条 would mean &quot;eat noodles <em>for</em> me&quot; instead of &quot;give me noodles to eat&quot;, which of course it doesn't.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-07T17:01:33.220Z
2022-07-07T17:01:33.220Z
Buddy L
<p>In the link below, the wiki page talks about 给 in this structure.</p>

<p>Subj. + 给 + Target + [Verb Phrase]</p>

<p><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Verbs_preceded_by_%22gei%22" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Verbs_preceded_by_%22gei%22</a></p>

<p>But I don't understand 晚饭妈妈做了面条给我们吃。 </p>

<p>The part before 给 is not a subject. Rather, it's a complete sentence. How would you explain this grammar?</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

<grammar>
phrase + 给 + target + verb
# phrase + 给 + target + verb

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-11-07)

In the link below, the wiki page talks about 给 in this structure.

Subj. + 给 + Target + [Verb Phrase]

<https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Verbs_preceded_by_%22gei%22>

But I don't understand 晚饭妈妈做了面条给我们吃。

The part before 给 is not a subject. Rather, it's a complete sentence. How would you explain this grammar?

Thanks.

**Tags:** grammar


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-11-07. Score: 2

It is a [topic + comment/ opinion] grammar structure

晚饭 (dinner) is a topic

妈妈做了面条给我们吃。(mother made noodle for us to eat) is a comment

The comment here is a basic [Subject +V + object]

* You can replace the topic, e.g. Change 晚饭 to 午餐 and write "午餐妈妈做了面条" = "(for) lunch, mom made noodle"
* You can replace the comment, e.g. Change 面条 to 饺子 and "晚饭妈妈做了饺子" = "(for) dinner, mom made dumplings"

Similar example:

Topic: 工作 (works)

Comment: 很难找到 (very hard to find)

* Topic + comment sentence: 工作很难找到 (works are very hard to find )
* SVO sentence: 很难找到工作 (it is hard to find works)

*Using [topic + comment sentence] emphasize the topic*

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I understand is a topic comment structure now. What I don’t understand is 给我们吃 structure after the comment. Where is that grammar point.  
> **username_1**: 給 before the object “us” is functioning as “for”  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2022-07-07. Score: 1

As mentioned in username_1 Ho's answer, this is a topic+comment structure.

Regarding your question as to the 给我们吃 structure：I have disagreed with username_1 Ho in other places regarding this, but my opinion is that it is much more useful to understand 给 as the verb that it clearly is, rather than a preposition. 给我们吃 can be understood as “Give us to eat". We can treat this whole phrase as a result complement of the verb phrase “做了面条”.

Compare this to a more classically accepted example of a result complement: 看完 = finish reading. Verb phrase is 看, to read， and the complement is "complete". So 看完 = reading to the effect of completion.

By this logic: 做了面条给我们吃 = made noodles to the effect of giving us something to eat.

Of course the smoother translation would use the preposition "for", as that is how English works. It's *not* how Chinese works, though, so if you're trying to understand why this structure is used in this way it is not so useful to think of 给 as "for". It means "to give", though it is used to much greater effect in Chinese than the English verb "to give".

Preempting the disagreements that will likely follow this post: If 给 means "for", then 给我吃面条 would mean "eat noodles *for* me" instead of "give me noodles to eat", which of course it doesn't.


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