# "for"



## akana

The various expressions involving the word "for" in English often trip me up when trying to express them in Finnish. Here are a few examples. I'd appreciate if somebody could comment on my attempts, whether several possibilities are valid, and which sound most natural. Kiitos!

This one is for you. 
_Tämä on sinulle/sinua varten.
_
Speaking Japanese isn't that difficult for me. I've been practicing since I was three. 
_Japanin kielen puhuminen ei ole minulle/minun puolesta/minusta niin vaikeaa. Olen harjoitellut siitä asti, kun olin kolmevuotias._

It's difficult for us to decide. 
_Meidän on vaikea päättää./On meille vaikea päättää._

If I always do it for you, how will you ever learn to do it yourself? 
_Jos aina teen sitä sinulle/sinun puolesta/sinua varten, miten opit tekemään sitä itse?_

He's too smart for that kind of rubbish.
_Hän on liian älykäs mokomaa pötyä varten.
_
I think it seems like a great opportunity for you.
_Minun mielestäni se tuntuu hyvältä tilaisuudelta sinulle/sinua varten/sinun puolesta.
_
I bought a new clutch for the car. 
_Ostin uuden kytkimen autoon/autolle/autoa varten._


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## Hakro

akana said:


> This one is for you.
> _Tämä on sinulle/sinua varten._ (both OK, depending on the context)
> 
> Speaking Japanese isn't that difficult for me. I've been practicing since I was three.
> _Japanin kielen puhuminen ei ole minulle__/minun puolesta__/minusta__ niin vaikeaa. Olen harjoitellut siitä asti, kun olin kolmevuotias._
> 
> It's difficult for us to decide.
> _Meidän on vaikea päättää.__/On meille vaikea päättää._
> 
> If I always do it for you, how will you ever learn to do it yourself?
> _Jos aina teen sitä/sen sinulle/sinun puolestasi/sinua varten, miten opit tekemään sitä__/sen__ itse?_ All three, depending on the context.


Sorry, I had to split the answer because the number of smilies is limited to 8.


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## Hakro

akana said:


> He's too smart for that kind of rubbish.
> _Hän on liian älykäs mokomaa pötyä varten._
> 
> I think it seems like a great opportunity for you.
> _Minun mielestäni se tuntuu hyvältä tilaisuudelta sinulle__/sinua varten__/sinun puolesta__.
> _
> I bought a new clutch for the car.
> _Ostin uuden kytkimen autoon__/autolle__/autoa varten__._


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## akana

Kiitos paljon, Hakro! Could you elaborate a little on these ones?



> This one is for you.
> _Tämä on sinulle/sinua varten._ (both OK, depending on the context)


What context would you use _sinua varten_ in with this example?



> If I always do it for you, how will you ever learn to do it yourself?
> _Jos aina teen sitä/sen sinulle/sinun puolestasi/sinua varten, miten opit tekemään sitä__/sen__ itse?_ All three, depending on the context.


I'm just trying to differentiate depending on context, so correct me if I'm wrong, but I think _sinulle_ here would mean that I'm making something to give to you, and _sinun puolestasi_ would mean I'm performing some task for you, with emphasis on the action rather than the product. But what about _sinua varten_?



> I bought a new clutch for the car.
> _Ostin uuden kytkimen autoon__/autolle__/autoa varten__._


Again, it appears that this _-a varten_ phrase has me stumped. Is there a reason that I could not use _autoa varten_ here? Is there a difference in usage with inanimate objects?





> _
> 
> It's difficult for us to decide.
> Meidän on vaikea päättää./On meille vaikea päättää.
> _


If I changed this latter one to: _"Päättäminen on meille vaikeaa,"_ would it sound okay?

Kiitos vielä kerran!


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## Hakro

akana said:


> What context would you use _sinua varten_ in with this example? If I buy something to eat for you but I don't give it to you directly, I put it in the fridge saying "Tämä on sinua varten."
> 
> I'm just trying to differentiate depending on context, so correct me if I'm wrong, but I think _sinulle_ here would mean that I'm making something to give to you, and _sinun puolestasi_ would mean I'm performing some task for you, with emphasis on the action rather than the product. You're right. But what about _sinua varten_? For example "Olen järjestänyt nämä juhlat sinua varten, jotta viihtyisit täällä."
> 
> Again, it appears that this _-a varten_ phrase has me stumped. Is there a reason that I could not use _autoa varten_ here? Is there a difference in usage with inanimate objects? You can use _autoa varten_ when the object is not a part that belongs directly to the car, for example "Vuokrasin tallipaikan autoa varten / autolle" or "Ostin suojapeitteen autoa varten / autolle".
> 
> If I changed this latter one to: _"Päättäminen on meille vaikeaa,"_ would it sound okay? Yes.


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## akana

Kiitos uudestaan, Hakro. And if I could bother you with a couple more:

Exercise is good for you.
_Liikunta on hyvää/hyväksi sinulle.
_
You're too young for that.
_Olet liian nuori tuohon/tuolle/tuota varten._


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## Hakro

akana said:


> Exercise is good for you.
> _Liikunta on hyväksi sinulle / tekee hyvää sinulle.
> _
> You're too young for that.
> _Olet liian nuori tuohon__/tuolle__/tuota varten__._


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