<p>You translated '为我' as 'do I'</p>
<blockquote>
<p>他第一次[为我]煮汤</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>he the first time [do I] cook soup</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Google Translate:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>为 --&gt; for</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>为我 --&gt; for me</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Your confusion started with you didn't have the accurate translation of '为我'</p>
<ul>
<li><p>[他][第一次][为我][煮汤]</p>
</li>
<li><p>[he][the first time][for me][cook soup]</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Although the placement of the subject and object in the Chinese sentence above is different from English grammar, it is easily understandable and be rearranged in English grammar</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The first time he cooks soup for me</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I guess you translated '为我' as 'do I' because '为' also contains the meaning of 'as; be; is'.</p>
<p>The general rule is when '为' means 'being' it cannot be followed by a verb phrase like 'cook soup'.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>为 in [为 + noun + verb phrase] always means 'for'.  E.g. '为我死' = 'die for me'</p>
</li>
<li><p>为 in [noun 1 + 为 + noun 2] always means 'as/ being/ is'. E.g. '水为财' = 'water is wealth'</p>
</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-02T20:58:06.397Z
2021-04-03T12:57:57.710Z
2021-04-03T12:57:57.710Z
Tang Ho
<ol>
<li><p>The fundamental sentence is <code>他煮湯</code> (he cooks soup). The subject is <code>他</code> and the object is <code>湯</code>, or the thing that is cooked.</p>
</li>
<li><p>You may consider <code>第一次</code> (the first time) and <code>為我</code> (for me) as adverbial phrases. They describe how the soup was cooked by Father.</p>
</li>
<li><p><code>為+sb</code>, <code>替+sb</code>, and <code>幫+sb</code> indicate the action is done on behalf of someone. They behave like <code>給+sb</code>. E.g.:</p>
<ul>
<li><code>我為你打掃了房間</code> I cleaned the room for you.</li>
<li><code>他替我做功課</code> He does homework for me.</li>
<li><code>我幫她買了雞蛋</code> I bought eggs for her.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-02T16:08:39.597Z
2021-04-02T16:08:39.597Z
L Parker
<p>[我煮汤 = I cook soup, this has confused who cook the soup..can you tell me grammer points how not to confuse with subject and object in this scenario:]</p>
<p>I am translating this sentence,</p>
<p>他第一次为我煮汤，是在妈妈离家的那一天</p>
<p>“he first time do I cook soup.” My literal translation</p>
<p>But actual translation is “he made soup for me for the first time ....”</p>
<p>Text as below for context:</p>
<p>爸爸有一个星期没有来送汤了。真搞不懂他，已经退休了，又没事做，煮点汤有什么难的？好不容易等到他给我送汤，却不是熬出来的“好东西”。有时连肉块都省了，和以前那醇厚的味道比起来，真是天渊之别！我已经喝惯了爸爸煮的汤。他第一次为我煮汤，是在妈妈离家的那一天。我当时不知道妈妈为何要离家出走，后来才明白她是认为爸爸没出息。为什么她这么残忍，她可以不要爸爸，怎么可以不要我呢？</p>

<grammar><meaning-in-context>
Who cook the soup? Confusion
# Who cook the soup? Confusion

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-04-02)

[我煮汤 = I cook soup, this has confused who cook the soup..can you tell me grammer points how not to confuse with subject and object in this scenario:]

I am translating this sentence,

他第一次为我煮汤，是在妈妈离家的那一天

“he first time do I cook soup.” My literal translation

But actual translation is “he made soup for me for the first time ....”

Text as below for context:

爸爸有一个星期没有来送汤了。真搞不懂他，已经退休了，又没事做，煮点汤有什么难的？好不容易等到他给我送汤，却不是熬出来的“好东西”。有时连肉块都省了，和以前那醇厚的味道比起来，真是天渊之别！我已经喝惯了爸爸煮的汤。他第一次为我煮汤，是在妈妈离家的那一天。我当时不知道妈妈为何要离家出走，后来才明白她是认为爸爸没出息。为什么她这么残忍，她可以不要爸爸，怎么可以不要我呢？

**Tags:** grammar, meaning-in-context


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-04-02. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

You translated '为我' as 'do I'

> 他第一次[为我]煮汤

> he the first time [do I] cook soup

Google Translate:

> 为 --> for

> 为我 --> for me

Your confusion started with you didn't have the accurate translation of '为我'

* [他][第一次][为我][煮汤]
* [he][the first time][for me][cook soup]

Although the placement of the subject and object in the Chinese sentence above is different from English grammar, it is easily understandable and be rearranged in English grammar

> The first time he cooks soup for me

I guess you translated '为我' as 'do I' because '为' also contains the meaning of 'as; be; is'.

The general rule is when '为' means 'being' it cannot be followed by a verb phrase like 'cook soup'.

* 为 in [为 + noun + verb phrase] always means 'for'. E.g. '为我死' = 'die for me'
* 为 in [noun 1 + 为 + noun 2] always means 'as/ being/ is'. E.g. '水为财' = 'water is wealth'


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### Answer by username_2 on 2021-04-02. Score: 1

1. The fundamental sentence is `他煮湯` (he cooks soup). The subject is `他` and the object is `湯`, or the thing that is cooked.
2. You may consider `第一次` (the first time) and `為我` (for me) as adverbial phrases. They describe how the soup was cooked by Father.
3. `為+sb`, `替+sb`, and `幫+sb` indicate the action is done on behalf of someone. They behave like `給+sb`. E.g.:

   * `我為你打掃了房間` I cleaned the room for you.
   * `他替我做功課` He does homework for me.
   * `我幫她買了雞蛋` I bought eggs for her.


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