为了 vs 为的是: what is the difference?
为了 comes first and gives the goal: 为了健康，他每天锻炼. 为的是 comes after the action: 他每天锻炼，为的是健康。
| Word | Pinyin | What it does | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 为了 | wèi le | Comes first in the sentence and states the goal behind the action. | 为了 + goal, Subject + Verb |
| 为的是 | wèi de shì | Comes after the action and states the goal behind it. | action，为的是 + goal |
为了 (wèi le)
Comes first in the sentence and states the goal behind the action.
Structure: 为了 + goal, Subject + Verb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 为了学好汉语，他每天听广播。 | Wèi le xué hǎo hàn yǔ, tā měi tiān tīng guǎng bō. | To learn Chinese well, he listens to the radio every day. |
| 为了赶飞机，我们五点就起床了。 | Wèi le gǎn fēi jī, wǒ men wǔ diǎn jiù qǐ chuáng le. | To catch the flight, we got up at five. |
| 为了孩子，妈妈放弃了工作。 | Wèi le hái zi, mā ma fàng qì le gōng zuò. | For the sake of her child, Mum gave up her job. |
Not: 为了健康，所以他每天锻炼。 为了 does not take 所以: 为了健康，他每天锻炼。
为的是 (wèi de shì)
Comes after the action and states the goal behind it.
Structure: action，为的是 + goal
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 他周末去做兼职，为的是多攒点钱去旅行。 | Tā zhōu mò qù zuò jiān zhí, wèi de shì duō zǎn diǎn qián qù lǚ xíng. | He works part-time on weekends in order to save money for a trip. |
| 我每天背单词，为的是通过汉语水平考试。 | Wǒ měi tiān bèi dān cí, wèi de shì tōng guò hàn yǔ shuǐ píng kǎo shì. | I memorise words every day in order to pass the Chinese proficiency test. |
| 她搬到学校附近住，为的是节省路上的时间。 | Tā bān dào xué xiào fù jìn zhù, wèi de shì jié shěng lù shàng de shí jiān. | She moved near the school to save time on the way. |
Not: 为的是健康，他每天锻炼。 为的是 comes after the action. To open with the goal, use 为了: 为了健康，他每天锻炼。
Where this comes from
The comparison is part of Purpose & Consequence Clauses: 为的是、以便 (HSK 5) in the grammar reference, which has the full explanation, more worked examples, and what to learn before and after it.
More pairs: 因为 vs 为了 · 从而 vs 因此 · 从…来看 vs 在…看来 · 大都 vs 都 · 跟…相比 vs 跟…一样 · 过于 vs 太 · 看不得 vs 看不懂 · 累坏了 vs 累得不得了 · 凭 vs 依据 · 起来 vs 下去 · 仍旧 vs 依旧 · 有 vs 有着 · all 81 pairs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 为了 and 为的是?
为了 comes first and gives the goal: 为了健康，他每天锻炼. 为的是 comes after the action: 他每天锻炼，为的是健康。
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