▎對 A 有 B, (duì (Prep) A yŏu (Vst) B), to be B in A

 

Function In this pattern, the preposition 對 occurs with the state verb 有, the object of 有 is always an abstract noun, such as 興趣xìngqù ‘interests’, 幫助bāngzhù ‘assistance’, 好處hǎochù ‘benefit’, 影響yǐngxiǎng ‘influence’, 想法xiǎngfǎ ‘thoughts’, etc….

1 很多人對學中文有興趣。

Hěn duō rén duì xué Zhōngwén yǒu xìngqù.

Many people are interested in learning Chinese.

2 多看書，對充實我們的專業能力有幫助。

Duō kànshū, duì chōngshí wǒmen de zhuānyè nénglì yǒu bāngzhù.

If you read more, it will enhence your professional abilities.

3 多吃青菜、少吃肉對身體有好處。

Duō chī qīngcài, shǎo chī ròu duì shēntǐ yǒu hǎochù.

Eating more vegetables and less meat is good for the body, i.e., health.

 

Structures

(1) In this pattern, 對 is a preposition, the dummy state verb is 有, and such nouns as 興趣xìngqù ‘interests’, 幫助bāngzhù ‘assistance’, 好處hǎochù ‘benefit’, 影響yǐngxiǎng ‘influence’, 經驗jīngyàn ‘experience’, 想法xiǎngfǎ ‘thoughts’ serve as its objects. These abstract nouns can be modified, too. Example: 運動對身體健康有很大的幫助。Yùndòng duì shēntǐ jiànkāng yǒu hěn dà de bāngzhù. ‘Exercise has a great help to physical health’.

(2) Furthermore, the state verb 有 can be modified by 很hěn or 非常fēicháng, e.g., 他對做菜很有興趣。Tā duì zuò cài hěn yǒu xìngqù. ‘He is very interested in cooking.’

Negation：

1 媽媽對又酸又辣的泡菜沒有興趣。

Māma duì yòu suān yòu là de pàocài méi yǒu xìngqù.

Mom is not interested in sour and spicy kimchi.

2 陳先生認為做廣告對企業沒有太大的幫助。

Chén xiānshēng rènwéi zuò guǎnggào duì qǐyè méi yǒu tài dà de bāngzhù.

Mr. Chen thinks it’s not helpful for a company to make advertisement.

3 我只是喉嚨痛，對工作沒有影響。

Wǒ zhǐshì hóulóng tòng, duì gōngzuò méi yǒu yǐngxiǎng.

I just have a sore throat. It doesn’t affect my work.

Questions：

1 馬老師是不是對教書很有經驗？

Mǎ lǎoshī shìbúshì duì jiāoshū hěn yǒu jīngyàn?

Teacher Ma has a lot of experience teaching, right?

2 一個人會說很多種語言，是不是對找工作有幫助？

Yí ge rén huì shuō hěn duō zhǒng yǔyán, shìbúshì duì zhǎo gōngzuò yǒu bāngzhù?

If someone speaks many languages, it is helpful in finding work, right?

3 你對跟外國人結婚有沒有什麼想法？

Nǐ duì gēn wàiguó rén jiéhūn yǒu méi yǒu shénme xiǎngfǎ?

Do you have any thoughts on marrying a foreigner?

 

Usage When state verbs take a preposition, it must be 對, whereas action verbs can take a whole variety of prepositions, e.g., 他對每件事都很熱心。Tā duì měi jiàn shì dōu hěn rèxīn. ‘He is enthusiastic about everything.’