对...来说,...
Reach for this when you want to frame the next statement around how it lands for a specific person or group — 'for X,' 'as far as X is concerned.' It topicalizes the affected party at the start of the clause and then says what the situation means or does for them. Everywhere in news ('for young people, housing prices are…'), business commentary ('for the company, this signals…'), and personal reflection ('for me, this matters because…').
Structure
对 [PERSON / GROUP] 来说,[STATEMENT ABOUT IMPACT]
duì... láishuō,...
How to Think About It
对...来说 functions as a topic marker: it raises a person or group as the lens through which to read the next clause. The pattern only works for IMPACT or RELEVANCE — what something means FOR them, not what THEY think OF something. For opinions, switch to 在...看来. Drop the 来说 and the structure becomes ambiguous; the 来说 ('speaking with regard to') is what pins it down as a frame.
Examples
对学生来说,考试很重要。
Duì xuésheng láishuō, kǎoshì hěn zhòngyào.
For students, exams are important.
对公司来说,这是一次重要的机会。
Duì gōngsī láishuō, zhè shì yí cì zhòngyào de jīhuì.
For the company, this is an important opportunity.
对很多年轻人来说,租房比买房更现实。
Duì hěn duō niánqīngrén láishuō, zū fáng bǐ mǎi fáng gèng xiànshí.
For many young people, renting is more realistic than buying.
Common Mistake
Learners use 对...来说 to introduce someone's opinion, when they want 在...看来. 对 X 来说 = 'for X, this is significant' (impact); 在 X 看来 = 'X thinks this is significant' (opinion). Mixing them turns an impact statement into an opinion or vice versa.
对我来说,这部电影很无聊。(reads as 'this movie has the impact of being boring for me' — awkward)
在我看来,这部电影很无聊。
Don't Confuse With
在...看来
在 X 看来 = X's OPINION. 对 X 来说 = the IMPACT on X. Use 看来 when you mean 'X thinks'; use 来说 when you mean 'this affects X.'
对于...
对于 X = 'regarding X' — names the topic but doesn't frame impact on X. 对 X 来说 specifically zooms in on what the topic MEANS for X.
对...而言
对 X 而言 = same meaning as 对 X 来说, more literary. Use 对...来说 in speech; switch to 对...而言 in formal writing or essays.
Practice
对我们 ___,这一轮韩国行情真正的意义不在涨幅。
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来说
___ 父母来说,孩子的健康最重要。
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对
Arrange: 来说 / 对 / 一个好消息 / 这 / 是 / 我们
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对我们来说,这是一个好消息。
For new employees, this training is essential.
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对新员工来说,这次培训非常重要。
Use 对...来说 to describe how a situation lands for a specific group.
Show answer
对刚毕业的大学生来说,找第一份工作压力很大。
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode:
Related Grammar Patterns
Acquire by listening
Hear 对...来说,... in real Chinese, not in a textbook.
Fluentide picks the next news episode at your level, so this pattern shows up again and again in real context. The transcript marks it, the audio drills it. Free to start, no card.