Preposition для: when do we use it?

The preposition “для” indicates the beneficiary of something and is used with the genitive case. It means “for” or “to” in terms of purpose or intended recipient.

To clarify, let’s examine some examples.

Preposition для (dlya) in Russian

In the sentence “Подарок для моей мамы” (A gift for my mom), “для” is used to convey that the gift is intended for the recipient, in this case, “моя мама” (my mom).

We use it in some common expressions to name different kinds of things:

гель для душа – shower gel (lit. gel for shower)

обувь для бега – running shoes (shoes for running)

блеск для губ – lip gloss (gloss for lips)

крем для бритья – shaving cream (cream for shaving)

Now, let’s explore some examples of sentences that use the preposition “for”.

Для чего вам это нужно? – What do you need it for?

Я купил кое-что для себя. – I bought a few items for myself.

Это очень важно для меня. – It’s very important to me.

Это для меня загадка. – It’s a mystery to me.

Моя бабушка для меня как мама. – My grandmother is like a mother to me.

Я ничего не могу сделать для тебя. – There’s nothing I can do for you.

Мы найдём для тебя место. – We’ll find a place for you.

Больше ничего не буду для него делать. – I’m not going to do anything for him any more.

Так будет лучше для всех. – This is what’s best for everyone.

Ты слишком умён для этого. – You’re too smart for that.Preposition для (dlya) in Russian

Она приготовила ужин для гостей. – She prepared dinner for the guests.

Эта информация нужна мне для проекта. – I need this information for the project.

Мы учимся не для жизни, а для школы. – We don’t study for life, but for school.

Note: We usually use pronouns себе, тебе, нам, etc. instead of “для меня”, “для тебя”, “для нас” and so on. Example:

Я купил тебе цветы. – I bought flowers for you.

In general, the dative case is very common in such situations (with the verb купить):

Он купил своему ребенку игрушку. – He bought a toy for his child.

This lesson also has a video version that you can watch on YouTube.

 

As you can see, the use of this preposition is pretty straightforward. But if you still have any questions, ask them in the comments!

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