Chinese Teacher John
Professional Teacher
"I want to do right by you" why don't you say "for you" or "to you" I saw in a Tv series, a boy wanted to break up with his girl friend, he said ""I want to do right by you", The question is why don't you say "for you" or "to you"? Thanks
Nov 11, 2013 7:49 AM
Answers · 3
3
First, the phrase "right by you" is a set phrase that you can't change. It means "I want to be fair to you." You would need more to say "for you." For example, "I want to do the right thing for you." You could say, "I want to do the right thing for you," but it changes the meaning. Now, the meaning is "I want to do something correct because of you" or "I want to the something correct to help you." If you said, "I want to do the right thing to you," it would mean "I want to physically touch you or change you." This could sound medical or sexual, depending on the situation. I hope that helps!
November 11, 2013
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