Level 5 · Lesson 4

为了学汉语
In order to learn Chinese

为了健康，我每天早上锻炼。

为了 states the purpose first and the action second — the normal Chinese order.

听 · Listen

你的梦想是什么？
 安娜 —  李明，你每天早上都锻炼吗？ 
Li Ming, do you exercise every morning?  
 李明 —  是的。为了健康，我每天早上锻炼。 
Yes. For my health, I exercise every morning.  
 安娜 —  你学汉语也很努力。 
You work hard at Chinese too.  
 李明 —  为了将来去中国工作，我要努力学习。 
In order to work in China later on, I have to study hard.  
 安娜 —  去中国工作是你的梦想吗？ 
Is working in China your dream?  
 李明 —  是我的梦想。你的梦想是什么？ 
It is my dream. What's yours?  
 安娜 —  为了跟中国朋友聊天，我也在学汉语。 
So that I can chat with Chinese friends, I'm learning Chinese too.  
 李明 —  好，我们一起努力吧！ 
Good — let's work hard together!  

讲解 · Explanation

为了健康，我每天早上锻炼。

English usually says the action first and the purpose second: 'I exercise every morning for my health.' Chinese does the opposite. 为了 opens the sentence, the purpose follows it, a comma closes the phrase, and only then comes the main clause. Say the purpose first and the rest of the sentence falls into place.

为了将来去中国工作，我要努力学习。

What follows 为了 can be a noun (为了健康) or a whole verb phrase (为了去中国工作). Either way the pattern is the same. If the subject is important you may also tuck 为了 in after it — 我为了健康，每天早上锻炼 — but it still stands ahead of the verb it explains. Never put it at the end.

他很努力。他努力学习。

努力 works two ways. On its own it is an adjective and takes 很, like every adjective predicate you know: 他很努力 'he is hard-working'. Placed before another verb it describes how the action is done: 努力学习 'study hard', 努力工作 'work hard'. 将来 is a time word, so it goes where time words go — before the verb: 我将来想去中国.

生词 · Vocabulary

词	Meaning	注 · Note
为了	in order to, for the sake of	为了健康，…… — opens the sentence
努力	hard-working; to work hard	很努力; 努力学习
健康	health; healthy	为了健康; 他很健康
将来	the future, later on	a time word: 我将来想去中国
梦想	a dream, an ambition	一个梦想; 我的梦想是……

练习 · Practice

为了健康 Which sentence is natural Chinese for 'I walk to work for my health'?

______ 将来去中国工作，他每天学习汉语。 Fill in the words for 'in order to'.

他 ______ 学习。 Which one means 'He studies hard'?

排一排。 Arrange the words: 'For my health, I exercise every day.'

为了、努力、健康、将来、梦想 Match each word to its meaning.

用一用 · Use it

你为了什么学汉语？你将来的梦想是什么？

Answer aloud, and start with the purpose every time: 为了跟中国朋友聊天，我学汉语 (wèile gēn Zhōngguó péngyou liáotiān, wǒ xué Hànyǔ). Then give two more — one for your health, one for your work: 为了健康，我每天走路; 为了将来的工作，我很努力. Finish with one sentence about your dream: 我的梦想是……