TO or FOR? Prepositions in English

'To' and 'for' are prepositions that are often confused. Although they are used in almost all situations, many people do not know which one to use in which situation. This grammar lesson will give you some tips on how to choose the correct one to make your speech and writing smoother. Take the quiz on this lesson here: www.engvid.com/to-or-for/
Hi again. Welcome back to www.engvid.com. I'm Adam, and today's lesson is about prepositions; everybody's favourite little words that get in the middle of everything and cause you lots of troubles, and headaches, and confusion. Especially if you're writing, this is the worst part, but even if you're not; always causes problems.
Today's prepositions that we're going to look at: "to" and "for". Now, there isn't really a set rule for these prepositions; they can be used in many different ways. What I'm going to try to show you today is when to use "to" instead of "for", when to use "for" instead of "to". Now, to do that, we first have to look at why or situations in which we use these prepositions.
So let's start. If you want to express a reason, - okay? -, then you're going to use "to" or "for".
"I went to the store", why? "To buy milk." "I went to the store", why? "For milk."
What's the difference between these two? Should be very clear I think. Here I have a verb, here I'm only talking about the noun so we use "to". Now, technically, this is not a preposition. Okay? This is an infinitive verb marker, but it looks like a preposition so we'll treat it as one for now. Verb, noun, that's the difference when you're talking about reason.
Now, before we go to the next one, I want you to look at this:
"I went to the store", whenever you have sort of a movement, - sorry -, and you have a destination... So by movement I mean: "go", "walk", "drive", "take the bus", for example. Anything that involves you moving or going somewhere and then you're talking about the destination, - means the place that you are going to -, it's always going to be "to". And this is very much a preposition showing direction. Okay? Now, there are of course exceptions. There are situations where you can use "for". "Head for the hills", "Make for the lobby", okay? But very, very specific situations, very specific verbs and you're not going to use them that often because they're not as common. Easier to just use "go", okay?
Next: if you want to point out a recipient. What is a recipient? A person who receives something. Okay?
"Give this to her.", "This is for her."
Now you're thinking: "Well, her, her, what's the difference? They look exactly the same." So here is why I wrote: "verb". In this situation, you're not worried about the preposition, you're worried about the verb. In this case: "give", in this case: "is". Okay? When you... Again, when you have motion... And here, "her" or the person is like a destination; it's not a place, but it's the recipient. Recipient is similar to a destination except you have place and person. Okay? If you have motion and recipient, use "to". When you have situation, then you're going to use "for". Okay? So it all depends on the verb, not the preposition.
Now, another example:
"Can you send this fax to her?" "Send" means motion, you're going to be doing something, you're going to be moving something.
"I made this cake for her."
"Made" -- you're not moving anything, nothing's changing hands. Right? You made it, this is the situation and it's for her. Eventually she will be the recipient. "I made this for her. Can you give it to her?" Right? So I'm using both: one motion "to", situation "for".

[@jonasduente]

I'm brazilian and I'm learning a little of english. My english is a lot beginner yet, but I liked my own progress. I'm sorry for my english. Thankss teacher! You facilited my life with this lesson.

[@karinathomaz5524]

Olá Jonas , mora aonde no Brazil ? Seu inglês é muito bom, vc estuda por vc mesmo?

[@mdmosawarhussain9669]

@@karinathomaz5524 if i lived in Brazil too would U wanna know where I lived?

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​me too!, I'm learning by myself since I was eleven and now I'm fifteen, I'm also learning Spanish and Korean

[@asrlife5551]

1 give this to her (motion) 2 this is for her (situation) 3 ask John to send me the file (action) 4 ask John for the file ( expectation) 5 invite someone to a party (event) 6 invite someone for dinner ( eating)

[@dillipmourya1356]

Give me some videos of for two or by all with or at of preposition

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Great

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[@randunudias6254]

In the end i could understand when to use to and for correctly.thank u so much!!!

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Hi! I have been teaching English continuously and joyfully for the past 25 years. I need to say that your videos ,particularly those focusing on grammar,are an excellent,practical tool for learners who need thorough and to the point clarifications without being overloaded with rules and excessive theory.I show my students your "How to sound like a native speaker" videos for self -practice at home. They really love them! I highly recommend them to both students and teachers.Thank you!

[@priyanshupriyam5024]

Welcome, bitch.

[@everardoserrato5547]

Great videos Adam. Could you make one with the words on and in? I've been in America for 16 years and still get confused with those two words sometimes. I would truly appreciate if you explain the differences between those two words just like you did this video. Thank you.

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[@missliawidya]

everything is so clear with you, Adam. I feel like understand every single word from you 😂

[@luciogatico9314]

Adam, you're really fantastic. Thank you very much for the classes!

[@carlitods]

Thanks Adam, Your explanation was crystal clear to me. I've been reading a lot about this topic, because English prepositions are really hard to get along

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I'm from argentina and I can understand almost everything because I need to improve my vocabulary still, I can't believe it!! You are the best teacher!

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Ok, I already sent you the request!

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How is your English progress today mate?

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Now, I have a full understanding. Thank you, Adam!

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How are your results? 9 years passed)

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本当にスッキリしました！ありがとうございます！！

[@Dipujith]

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[@azzamohamed8306]

finally, i understand the deference between to and for . thanks alotttttttttt

[@hanguyenviet6742]

Difference =)

[@azzamohamed8306]

(y)

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don't do it. he is so pervert, meybe he can ravish you

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hi..

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Brallan Oconer Mota Pacheco

[@vivianmoser4835]

Best english-teacher I had my whole school-life !!!!

[@sararasa6070]

Genious

[@hussinmohmmed4289]

Thank you Mr Adam. This is a perfect explanation.

[@Arline861]

Thank you Adan for all your help!

[@opinionated5361]

Why have three distinctions? The difference is simple enough. "To" as an infinitive marker focuses on action verbs (buy, give, send). "For" is used to focus on objects (milk, this, file).

[@davimag2071]

Whoa! This made things really clear now :0

[@someone4860]

not always

[@nataliagan]

Excellent explanation!!! very clear!!!!!! thank you!!!!!!

[@renatafukimura4995]

Thank you Adam ! You are an excellent professional ! This subject is very complex , I've studied it many times !

[@olgatim65]

A perfect pronunciation. Thanks for your tutorials, Adam!

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Not just a good English teacher but also good looking. Thumbs up!

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Trinh Nguyen nice

[@michaelfatigati8947]

Bonjour de France.

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[@mujib712]

I have perceived clearly to watch the video on the construction between to and for. Thanks a lot. I am Mujib from Bangladesh.

[@AlecsAvi]

@@mujib712 Regards from México

[@mcpaper3719]

since i known you, my english improve a lot, day by day i feel more confident when i speak English. i hope you can create more videos like this. it really useful for studying english . love

[@anee7163]

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[@thanhngo3667]

, i'm totally clear! thank you so much FOR your very helpful lesson

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I feel so smart watching this.

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Me too xD lol hahaha

[@97soldier14]

Why?? hahaha maybe I don't know but if you're native english speaker xD you don't have to feel smart cuz you just know one language and the other people ,want to learn other language they're smart :) but it's just an example man xD

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+Noemi !! I'm not a native speaker so...

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nepenthes oi

[@erzascarlet3895]

Me too. English is not our first language, having a knowledge in English is an advantage.

[@stevebenong342]

Wow just how! I've been having confusion on how to use these words, but now after watching this, it lighten me a little. Thanks Adam you've been a hero for a guy like me trying to learn English.

[@lama5866]

I really love how you explain your lesson, thank you

[@deutzza96]

thanks i love you. you are a great teacher

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I like the way you teaches

[@douglas3517]

Excellent explanation Adam. Finally I understood the difference between to and for. Congratulations for your knowledge.

[@joaoxavier4182]

Hello Adam, All of your explanations are very clear ! They help me a lot in my English skills ! Thanks

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After graduating and moving on with my life, I found out the level of my English grammer has dropped down a bit. Luckily, I have the internet to help me out 😃👍🏽

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Señor Amor Indeed, Internet is a saviour.

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Thank u so much sir

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Teacher Adam is a awesome teacher. His classes are clear and are of valuable help.

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Mr Adam, Thank you so much.Really you are a professional teacher and I enjoyed your interesting and useful way of teaching.

[@raphajbs]

Hi Adam....I hope this message fins you well...I'm really love your job and the way that you present your online classes...it has been a pleasure studying with your classes...I'm doing this about 4 months and I can see a great improvement of my English...I'm not a fluent but I've been working hard to achieve this level...thank you so much...I really appreciate your talent ...God bless you

[@ahmedassag]

Improvements in what specifically? 🤔

[@PaulaMurta]

thank you so much. We brazilian people have such a hard time at learning this lesson because in portuguese we just have one single word (para) that means both "to" and "for", so when I started studying english i kinda struggled trying to separate the two meanings. Thanks a lot, it was very useful :))

[@gilsantos2995]

Nada a ver Paula Murta. - I did this for him. Fiz isso por ele. - I did this to him. Fiz isso pra ele. É diferente sim.

[@gilsantos2995]

Desculpa, mas você inverteu as traduções ***** ...abraço

[@gilsantos2995]

Verdade ***** , mas isso é uma exceção isolada. 99% das vezes,é como ele mostrou nos primeiros exemplos e nos seguintes (to = para) e (for = por ou pelo,pela,pelos,pelas)

[@cinderellagrata292]

Paula Murta same with in the philippines we use "para" means for/to her. some of our words adopted from spanish words

[@Tiaggus]

Paula Murta kind of the same in Spanish

[@paulodantebr]

You're the best until today!! Incredible explanations!!

[@thienducqnvn]

Thank you a alot Adam. It is very easy to understand what difference between How to use "to" and "for" is. I love you so much.

[@easyjasm9167]

The best teacher ever thnx

[@royalempire5276]

I got 💯 on my first exam “to & for”

[@user-zn8iz1xi9i]

very proper and useful lesson. this is irreplaceable words for everyday using. I'm frequently applying them incorrectly, but now , i hope, I'll be do it rightly

[@itshry]

Would you make a video to explain the usage of article "the" when do we use it and when do we omitt it... From example above, may I say: I want to go to (the) store to buy (the) milk

[@Ernaern]

Article "the" is used for specific things.

[@PABLOESCOBAR-je9hl]

Hi, I am brazilian. is there a lot of brazilians in your channel ?

[@louisanbass]

*ARE there a lot of brazilians...

[@PABLOESCOBAR-je9hl]

thanks

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Hi Pablo, do you are learning English too?

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Hu3

[@jardelleite7790]

I'm brazilian too :p

[@shadiaahmed9567]

Hello Adam, all of your explanation are very clear & easy ! They help me a lot in my English Knowledge! Many Thanks.

[@alvaropatlanestrada7657]

Great class, Adam....It clarifies my doubts a lot. Thank you.

[@PimentaOP]

wich one should i use: "this is important to me" or "this is important for me" what's the difference between them?

[@taniacastillo9402]

This is important to me

[@Mayurukblog]

Jacob Captain nyce

[@ferhatdemir6846]

I think the correct answer is should be this is important for me

[@svyatoslavboykiv398]

This is important FOR me

[@AlecsAvi]

Is the first "This is important to me" because you haven´t a verb, if you had "This is important for buy me a ..." is with "for" because you have a verb. Regards.

[@whoever7964]

thanks a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooot

[@christiandufourmentel3237]

Crystal clear Sir! Thank you for these clarification on this topic which can lead to confusion.

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I always spend time watching his explanation on english. It's clear and helps me improve my english.

[@IgnacioLunar]

how can i say this sentence To me the best way to learn english is watching your videos or For me the best way to learn english is watching your videos

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for me. its correct

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"For me, the best way to learn English is by (or from) watching your videos."

[@IgnacioLunar]

Jon Manilenio thanks for your answer

[@jaredvasil]

I'm a native English speaker and the second is correct, but any other native English speaker or advanced esl learner will understand what you're saying perfectly fine ether way.

[@mohammedhosni220]

Another possible way is: The best way for me to learn English is watching your videos.

[@niveageolingo8779]

You misspelled “recipient”

[@xuantrang2835]

Lol, I think we went to the same school. I only noticed the pronunciation of "recipient".

[@fernandorosaneli7721]

This teacher is a genius, the only one who I don't get bored watching the videos. Such an amazing teacher.

[@kavalisuresh9919]

Thank you for this video Adam sir. Your teaching is extraordinary.

[@lanhuynh8579]

it's "recipient" not "recepient"

[@fabibran]

I thought I was the only one noticing it. A very good video with a spelling slip, though! They should edit it. Visual is everything for learners.

[@MarcinVoyager]

Crazy language :-D

[@dangerL7e]

Not as crazy as Russian, for example

[@geeta7121]

Amazing teaching! Thanks for explaining the deference of both.

[@896ragazzo]

If it hadn't been FOR the subtitles, I wouldn't have been able TO understand it .....

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Do you study English as second language? I'm from Venezuela and I love English

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could you add me, too?

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[@leticiadantasmdantas1734]

Hello. Please. Could I say "I went to the store FOR BUYING milk"? Thank you very much.

[@priyanshupriyam5024]

Nope, bitch.

[@bangbootz2878]

"I went to the store to buy milk" is correct.

[@user-jv1ty9cm1z]

Thank you, Adam, you're the best!!!

[@eleanorolano3837]

It should be spelled as 'recipient' and not recepient.

[@anacristinachaves291]

hater - 1 letter won´t make the much different. He took this time to do a FREE class online. He is NOTTTT teaching spelling, he is focus on TO and FOR. Gotta it??

[@maurco007]

RecIpient with I not E

[@taranamammadova1652]

That is so good for everybody. Now I learn " to" and "for". Thank you.

[@pedroalves6219]

I really need this class, I always been confused "What's the moment to use to or for" Thanks for the video, and sorry for my english, if you don't understood. I do my better.

[@amirlaw695]

Gorgeous lesson. Thank you Adam.

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!Adam,thank you for your lessons!!!

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hi Adam!, i´m from spain and i just want to say that you are very good. i´m learning with you. thank you for your dedication.

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this lecture helped me find the difference more clearly sir, thank u so much and keep making more such videos.

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Thank you! Be blessed!

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Very basic and usefull source for learning attractive skills in English at the same time. We are living at 2017, almost 2018, but this video still amazing. Well done!

[@pavelsmirnov_]

*This is my thirty-first lesson! Aaaaand this is the best way to learn English FOR me!*

[@abdmoh6480]

Thank you MR.Adam. You lesson today is useful.

[@abdoalshami6550]

Thank you Mr Adam, you are the best

[@chishingwong5358]

Thank you for your lesson. I learnt more about different uses of "to" and "for".

[@Gerthoginya]

Adam, I understood your lesson. I am from Moscow, I am 70. I want to speak English well, I travel a lot around Europe, read Instagram, I need English. Thank you, I myself am surprised, but I understand what you are talking about, I have a good vocabulary from the school I graduated in 1966. )) Адам, я поняла ваш урок. Я из Москвы, мне 70. Хочется хорошо говорить по английски, я много езжу по Европе, читаю инстаграм, английский нужен. Спасибо, сама удивляюсь, но понимаю о чем вы говорите, у меня хороший словарный запас со школы, которую закончила в 1966г

[@maydk3977]

Thank you for explaining that in so simple way

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Best explanation ever about this!

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Great Job Adam! I'm really enjoying all of your videos. You have an amazing ability to explain the main topics in the English language. Thanks a lot! Byeeee

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Excellent explanation, easy to understand and the English is clear! Thank you for your help.

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Great job. Many thanks Adam.

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You are such a great teacher, Sir, for English. Thank you so much.

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Very informative,Thank you so much.

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Adam i alway listen to you. If you weren't on youtube i wouldn't know how to learn english in a very simply and best way. Have a nice day. You are big!

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Thank you very much for these videos. Love your teaching approach.

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Thanks Adam! Really useful! Enjoyed the lesson.

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Mr. Adam , Thanks a lot God bless you

[@i_dont_want_to_use_handle]

SERIOUSLY!!! VERY CLEAR!!!! Thank you so much!!!!!!

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The best explanation that I have found so far.

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Reallllly the best teacher i have ever seen i really understand every single thing really much appreciated, thank you. God bless you always❤ Amen🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️

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Your english is very clear! Thanks a lot!

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Finally i got to understand! Thank you very much!

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Master! Thanks a lot! Very clear and good explanation!

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I'm Brazilian! Thak's ! I liked your lesson about preposition.

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I have the strong impression to understand more clearly for different reason : . The video is dope . Adam is a great proffessor . Im passionate about English

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I'm from Algerian ..thank you for these videos, i learn so quickly because of your lessons