How should we find out when to use “to you” OR " for you" sometimes it’s very complicated like:
" let me break it down for you OR " to you " ???
( with good explanation please)
Best regards
Hosseini
You’re right Hosseini. Sometimes it is complicated, and each context has to be treated on its own merit.
The indirect object has ‘to’ in front of most of the time to indicate the direction – ‘to you’.
‘Let me explain it to you’. In this example ‘you’ is the direction the explanation is coming in (from me to you)
The direct object is the item that gets the action of the verb – ‘for you’. In your example, ‘you’ is the person getting the problem/explanation broken down. (to you from me)
I’m sorry if my explanation is not to your satisfaction, but you ought to consider that asking for what you term ‘good explanations’ might have the effect of stopping people answering your questions at all!
of course your explanation IS to my satisfaction. but let me tell you a little bit about the reason of ‘good explanations’
I use this term just to let coaches and native speakers answer the question. because you I’ve heard wrong answers my entire life by nonnative speakers who were trying to just give me an answer and say we are “know-it all” instead of saying the simplest answer " Sorry I don’t know but I will check it out for you ASAP".
BUT AGAIN SORRY IF I MADE YOU ANGRY BY THAT EXPRESSION.
Best regards
Hosseini
Hi Hosseini,
I’m not angry. I was just concerned that you would be limiting the potential to get help.