Prepositions in Chinese: 在, 从, 给, 对 and where they go
A Chinese preposition and its object go before the verb, not after it as in English: 我在家吃饭 (Wǒ zài jiā chī fàn, I eat at home) is literally "I at home eat". Chinese grammar calls these words 介词, and since most of them are also verbs, textbooks often call them coverbs. The table lists 23 of them, from 在 at HSK 1 to the formal 将 and 由 at HSK 5.
| Pattern | Use | HSK | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 在 + place + verb | where an action happens | 1 | 我在家吃饭。 Wǒ zài jiā chī fàn. I eat at home. |
| 跟 / 和 + person + verb | with someone | 1 | 我跟朋友去看电影。 Wǒ gēn péngyou qù kàn diànyǐng. I am going to see a film with a friend. |
| 从 + place or time (+ 到 …) | from a starting point | 2 | 我从八点到十二点上课。 Wǒ cóng bā diǎn dào shí'èr diǎn shàngkè. I have class from eight to twelve. |
| 往 / 向 + direction + verb | toward a direction | 2 | 往前走，然后往左拐。 Wǎng qián zǒu, ránhòu wǎng zuǒ guǎi. Go straight ahead, then turn left. |
| 对 + person or thing | to, toward (an attitude) | 2 | 老师对我们很好。 Lǎoshī duì wǒmen hěn hǎo. The teacher is very good to us. |
| 给 + person + verb | to, for (the person who receives) | 2 | 我给妈妈打电话。 Wǒ gěi māma dǎ diànhuà. I am calling my mom. |
| 离 + place + distance | distance from | 2 | 我家离学校很近。 Wǒ jiā lí xuéxiào hěn jìn. My home is close to the school. |
| 为 + person + verb | for someone's benefit | 2 | 他为大家做了一个蛋糕。 Tā wèi dàjiā zuòle yí ge dàngāo. He made a cake for everyone. |
| 朝 + person or direction + verb | facing, toward | 3 | 他朝我笑了笑。 Tā cháo wǒ xiàole xiào. He smiled at me. |
| 向 + person + verb | to someone (ask, learn, apologize) | 3 | 我要向你道歉。 Wǒ yào xiàng nǐ dàoqiàn. I want to apologize to you. |
| 自从 + time or event | ever since | 3 | 自从搬家以后，我每天走路上班。 Zìcóng bānjiā yǐhòu, wǒ měitiān zǒulù shàngbān. Since moving house, I have walked to work every day. |
| 为了 + goal | in order to | 3 | 为了学好中文，她每天听广播。 Wèile xuéhǎo Zhōngwén, tā měitiān tīng guǎngbō. To learn Chinese well, she listens to the radio every day. |
| 由于 + cause | due to (formal) | 3 | 由于下雨，比赛推迟了。 Yóuyú xià yǔ, bǐsài tuīchí le. Because of the rain, the match was postponed. |
| 关于 + topic | about (the topic) | 4 | 这是一本关于中国历史的书。 Zhè shì yì běn guānyú Zhōngguó lìshǐ de shū. This is a book about Chinese history. |
| 对于 + issue | regarding, as for | 4 | 对于这个问题，大家的看法不一样。 Duìyú zhège wèntí, dàjiā de kànfǎ bù yíyàng. People see this question differently. |
| 针对 + problem or group | aimed at, targeting | 4 | 学校针对新生开了一门课。 Xuéxiào zhēnduì xīnshēng kāile yì mén kè. The school started a course aimed at new students. |
| 随着 + change | as, along with | 4 | 随着天气变冷，感冒的人越来越多。 Suízhe tiānqì biàn lěng, gǎnmào de rén yuè lái yuè duō. As the weather gets colder, more and more people catch colds. |
| 按照 + rule or plan | following, in line with | 4 | 请按照说明使用。 Qǐng ànzhào shuōmíng shǐyòng. Please use it as the instructions say. |
| 根据 + source | according to, based on | 4 | 根据天气预报，明天有雨。 Gēnjù tiānqì yùbào, míngtiān yǒu yǔ. According to the forecast, it will rain tomorrow. |
| 凭 + basis | relying on, by virtue of | 5 | 他凭自己的努力考上了大学。 Tā píng zìjǐ de nǔlì kǎoshàngle dàxué. He got into university through his own hard work. |
| 依据 + rule or evidence | on the basis of (formal) | 5 | 公司依据规定处理了这件事。 Gōngsī yījù guīdìng chǔlǐle zhè jiàn shì. The company dealt with the matter according to the rules. |
| 将 + object + verb | formal 把 | 5 | 请将手机关闭。 Qǐng jiāng shǒujī guānbì. Please switch off your phone. |
| 由 + person + verb | by (who is responsible) | 5 | 这件事由我负责。 Zhè jiàn shì yóu wǒ fùzé. I am in charge of this. |
The phrase goes before the verb
The order is subject, then preposition phrase, then verb: 我跟朋友去看电影, 我给妈妈打电话. An English speaker wants to say 我打电话给妈妈 or 我吃饭在家, and the second one is wrong. The one common exception is 在 after verbs of placing or staying, where it marks where something ends up: 我住在北京, 书放在桌子上. Formal 将 works like 把, which has its own page with 被: 把 and 被 sentences.
Pairs that get confused
Several of these overlap. The pages that separate them are 往 vs 向, 朝 vs 向, 从 vs 自从, 按照 vs 根据, 随着 vs 跟着 and 因为 vs 为了. 关于, 对于 and 针对 are compared on one page, and 随着 comes back at HSK 5 in longer sentences.
Frequently asked questions
Where does a preposition go in a Chinese sentence?
Before the verb. English says "I eat at home", Chinese says 我在家吃饭, literally "I at home eat". The preposition and its object sit between the subject and the verb. Writing 我吃饭在家 is a common learner mistake.
Why are Chinese prepositions called coverbs?
Most of them are also ordinary verbs. 在 means "to be at", 给 means "to give" and 到 means "to arrive". When one of them comes before the main verb and carries a place, a person or a time, it works as a preposition, so textbooks call it a coverb.
Can 在 ever go after the verb?
Yes, with verbs of placing or staying, where 在 marks where something ends up: 我住在北京 (I live in Beijing), 把书放在桌子上 (put the book on the table). For where an action takes place, 在 goes before the verb: 我在北京工作.
What is the difference between 关于 and 对于?
关于 names the topic, so it fits titles and "a book about": 关于中国历史的书. 对于 introduces the thing you take a view on or deal with: 对于这个问题，大家的看法不一样. A 关于 phrase that frames the whole sentence goes before the subject, while 对于 can also follow it.
What does 随着 mean in Chinese?
随着 means "as" or "along with": one change brings another. 随着天气变冷，感冒的人越来越多 means "as the weather gets colder, more and more people catch colds". The second clause usually describes a change too, often with 越来越.
What is the difference between 往 and 向?
Both mean "toward" with a direction: 往前走, 向前走. 往 is mostly for movement. 向 also takes a person as the target of speech or learning: 向老师请教, 我要向你道歉. 往 cannot do that.
Which Chinese prepositions are in which HSK level?
在 and 跟 are HSK 1. 从, 往, 向, 对, 给, 离 and 为 are HSK 2. 朝, 自从, 为了 and 由于 are HSK 3. 关于, 对于, 针对, 随着, 按照 and 根据 are HSK 4. The formal 凭, 依据, 将 and 由 are HSK 5.
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