Cho (Prep)

Situations

S1: Lan lives in Hà Nội. Nam writes a letter to ask about her:

Nam viết thư cho Lan.
(Nam writes a letter to Lan.)

In this situation, Nam is the subject of the action of writing the letter (Nam does the action of writing the letter), meanwhile, Lan is the receiver of the letter.

S2: Nam wrote Lan a letter. He was busy so he asked Hà to post it:

Nhờ anh gửi thư cho tôi.
(Could you post the letter for me?)
(Lit.: Nam asked Hà to help him post the letter.)

In this situation, Hà is the subject of the action of posting the letter (Hà gives help to Nam). Nam benefits from this action, and he does not receive the letter (but Lan).

S3: If we exercise everyday, our health will improve.

Tập thể dục tốt cho sức khỏe.
(Physical exercise is good for (your) health.)

In this situation, the action tập thể dục (physical exercise) has its effect upon sức khỏe (health).

[1] Cuốn sách này rất bổ ích cho các sinh viên.
(This book is very useful for students.)
[2] Ông Tân làm giám đốc thì thật là không may cho công ty chúng ta.
(It will be bad for our company if Mr. Tân becomes the director.)

S4: Tâm is going to the United States to study. His mother advises Tâm:

Con phải cố gắng học cho tốt nhé!
(You will do your best at school, right?)
(Lit.: You must try to study well, right?)

In this situation, the state tốt (good) is the purpose, the degree or the requirement that the action học (to study) has to meet. Complementary examples:

[3] Học cho xong bài này mới nghỉ.
(Finish this lesson first, then rest!)
[4] Anh tôi dạy tiếng Anh cho tôi.
(My elder brother is teaching English to me.)
[5] Ăn đi cho nóng.
(Eat it while it is hot.)

Definition

Cho, as a preposition, is used to indicate the object that receives the effects (S1) or benefits from an action (S2). Also, cho indicates the object that undergoes the effects from an action (S3) or it indicates the purpose, the degree or the requirement that an action has to meet (S4).

  • Cho and đến: In S1, the preposition cho can be replaced with đến. However, đến expresses the target / direction of the action but not its object. Cf:
[1a] Anh ấy gửi tiền cho tôi vào ngày 15.
(He sends money to me on the 15th.)
[1b] Anh ấy gửi tiền đến tôi vào ngày 15.
(He sends money to me on the 15th.)
  • Cho and giùm / giúp / hộ: Cho, when followed by a beneficiary, can be replaced by giúp / giùm / hộ.
[2a] Anh ấy sửa xe hơi cho tôi.
(He repaired the car for me.)
[2b] Anh ấy sửa xe hơi giúp / giùm / hộ tôi.
(He repaired the car for me.)

NOTE: When following some verbs (such as trao, gửi, giao, đưa, mang, mua, bán), cho can introduce a recipient (a receiver) (S1) or a beneficiary (S2). However, when cho comes after many others (giữ, lau, đánh, đập, nấu...) the object usually receives a benefit / disadvantage from the action of the agent (S3). Cf:

[3] Anh ấy mang áo mưa cho tôi.
(He brought his raincoat to me so that I could wear it.)
[4] Anh giữ xe cho tôi nhé!
(Watch my bike, OK?)
(The fact that you watch my bike is helpful to me.)

In [3], tôi (I) can be understood as the recipient (the receiver) of something or the beneficiary. In sentence [4], tôi (I) can only be understood as the beneficiary.

Combinations

  • cho / làm cho / khiến cho + X: Used to express a result. X is a proposition that indicates a result that happened due to what has just been mentioned. Ex.:
[1] Nó ăn ở thế cho người ta ghét.
(His conduct fills everybody with hate.)
[2] Nó lười học làm cho bố mẹ buồn.
(His laziness in schoolwork fills his parents with sadness.)
[3] Nó cười đùa to tiếng khiến cho mọi người khó chịu.
(His boisterous laughing makes everybody uncomfortable.)
  • cho nên / nên:
[4] Hà làm việc chăm chỉ cho nên được khen.
(Hà worked hard, therefore she won praise.)
  • cho được / cho bằng được: These clusters are used to indicate a requirement of something that must produce a good result, must be successful, especially to show high determination / effort.
[5] Phải gặp cho được anh ấy tôi mới yên tâm.
(I will feel assured only if I meet him.)
[6] Cô ấy đã thích cái gì là cô ấy mua cho bằng được.
(She likes it so much she will buy it at any cost.)
  • cho rồi / cho xong / cho qua: These clusters express a reluctant attitude of acceptance of an action or state just mentioned in order to avoid a difficult or worse situation. The speaker doesn't need to know what real result will happen (or not happen).
[7] Nếu biết phim dở thế này thì tôi ở nhà cho xong.
(If I had known the film was so boring, I would have stayed home.)
[8] Anh nên đi cho rồi, (đừng đợi anh ấy nữa!)
(You should go right away (now)! (Don't wait for him any more.))
[9] (Đứa bé hỏi mẹ nó gì đó). Vì đang bận nên bà trả lời cho qua.
(The child asked his mother something. Because she was busy, she answered with indifference / hurriedly.)

(She did not care much how she answered.)