Table of Contents

Grammar Point

In Order To: 為了为了 wèile

為了 wèile为了 wèile means “in order to” or “for the sake of.” It tells you the goal or purpose behind an action.

一為了为了 + Goal，Action

为了 + Goal，(Subject) + Action

The usual order is goal first, action second. The subject can go before 為了 wèile为了 wèile or before the action.

为了wèile学xué中文Zhōngwén，我wǒ决定juédìng去qù台湾Táiwān

In order to learn Chinese, I decided to go to Taiwan.

我wǒ为了wèile减肥jiǎnféi，开始kāishǐ运动yùndòng

I started exercising to lose weight.

我wǒ为了wèile练习liànxi英文Yīngwén，开始kāishǐ做zuò这个zhège网站wǎngzhàn

I started this website to practice my English.

二 Action，是 + 為了为了 + Goal

Action，是 + 为了 + Goal

To emphasize the purpose, put the action first and add 是 shì before 為了 wèile为了 wèile: “The reason I did it was to…” When the goal comes after the action, you need 是 shì.

我wǒ开始kāishǐ运动yùndòng，是shì为了wèile减肥jiǎnféi

The reason I started exercising was to lose weight.

我wǒ搬bān去qù上海Shànghǎi是shì为了wèile寻找xúnzhǎo更gèng好hǎo的de工作gōngzuò机会jīhuì

I moved to Shanghai to look for better job opportunities.

我wǒ跟gēn你nǐ分手fēnshǒu是shì为了wèile让ràng你nǐ自由zìyóu

I broke up with you to set you free.

你nǐ半夜bànyè打dǎ电话diànhuà给gěi我wǒ只zhǐ是shì为了wèile问wèn我wǒ这zhè件jiàn事shì吗ma？

You called me in the middle of the night just to ask me this?! 🤬

三 Negation: 不是 + 為了为了

Action，不是 + 为了 + Goal

To say what an action is not for, use 不是為了 búshì wèile不是为了 búshì wèile.

我wǒ做zuò这个zhège网站wǎngzhàn不是búshì为了wèile挣钱zhèngqián

I don’t run this website to make money.

我wǒ做zuò这些zhèxiē事shì，不是búshì为了wèile得到dédào你nǐ的de原谅yuánliàng，只是zhǐshì想xiǎng补偿bǔcháng

I’m not doing these things to win your forgiveness. I just want to make it up to you.

我wǒ没有méiyǒu为了wèile钱qián去qù做zuò违法wéifǎ的de事shì

I didn’t do anything illegal for money.

四不要 + 為了为了…

不要 + 为了 + Goal + Action

Use 不要為了 búyào wèile不要为了 búyào wèile to warn someone not to do something just to reach a goal. 而 ér (“and”) is sometimes added before the action in more formal speech.

你nǐ不要búyào为了wèile减肥jiǎnféi完全wánquán不bù吃饭chīfàn

Don’t stop eating completely just to lose weight.

不要búyào为了wèile成功chénggōng而ér放弃fàngqì梦想mèngxiǎng

Don’t give up your dreams for the sake of success.

不要búyào为了wèile结婚jiéhūn而ér结婚jiéhūn

Don’t get married just for the sake of getting married.

FYI: Speed datingIn both Taiwan and China, there’s often social pressure to marry by a certain age, so speed-dating and matchmaking events are popular. At some events, 20 men and 20 women each fill in a card with their basic info. Every 3 minutes a bell rings and the men move to the next seat to introduce themselves all over again. It’s exhausting for the men, and the women struggle to remember who said what after 20 introductions. My secret observation? In the end, people mostly choose by looks. 😅

五為为 vs. 為了为了

為 wèi为 wèi is followed by the person or thing that benefits, or the reason, and then the action. 為了 wèile为了 wèile is followed by a goal.

為为 + person / thing + V

妈妈māma为wèi我wǒ做zuò了le很hěn多duō菜cài

Mom cooked lots of dishes for me.

為了为了 + goal

为了wèile妈妈māma的de健康jiànkāng，我wǒ开始kāishǐ学xué做菜zuòcài

For Mom’s health, I started learning to cook.

让ràng我们wǒmen一起yìqǐ为wèi留学liúxué生活shēnghuó做zuò准备zhǔnbèi

Let’s get ready for life studying abroad together.

Watch out: sometimes 為了为了 is actually 為 wèi为 wèi + 了 le (the completed-action 了), not 為了 wèile为了 wèile:

去年qùnián我wǒ的de身体shēntǐ很hěn不好bù hǎo，所以suǒyǐ妈妈māma为wèi了le我wǒ，做zuò了le很hěn多duō菜cài

My health was poor last year, so Mom cooked lots of dishes for me.

你nǐ为wèi了le你nǐ的de女朋友nǚpéngyou做zuò了le那么nàme多duō事shì，她tā都dōu知道zhīdào吗ma？

You’ve done so much for your girlfriend. Does she know about all of it?

六 Common Mistakes

❌ 我wǒ去qù台灣Táiwān台湾Táiwān為了wèile为了wèile學xué学xué中文Zhōngwén

✅ 我wǒ去qù台灣Táiwān台湾Táiwān是shì為了wèile为了wèile學xué学xué中文Zhōngwén

When the goal comes after the action, add 是 shì. Or put 為了 wèile为了 wèile first: 為了學中文，我去台灣。为了学中文，我去台湾。

❌ 我wǒ做zuò這個zhège这个zhège網站wǎngzhàn网站wǎngzhàn不bú為了wèile为了wèile賺錢zhuànqián挣钱zhèngqián

✅ 我wǒ做zuò這個zhège这个zhège網站wǎngzhàn网站wǎngzhàn不是búshì為了wèile为了wèile賺錢zhuànqián挣钱zhèngqián

The negative form is 不是為了 búshì wèile不是为了 búshì wèile, not 不為了不为了.

七 Practice

Tap the words below in the right order to build the sentence, then check your answer. If it’s wrong, you can try again as many times as you like, or hit “Show answer” if you get stuck. Careful: some tiles are traps and are not needed!

Question 1 of 10

“In order to learn Chinese, I moved to Taiwan.”