fún

A useful benefactive pattern is subject + action + object + fún + beneficiary. The final phrase identifies the person for whose benefit the action is performed. Buying something for someone does not itself assert that the purchase has been handed over.

In the giving construction illustrated here, use subject + fún + recipient + ní + thing given. Here fún supplies the giving predicate. This is one construction, not an exhaustive rule excluding other giving patterns. Neither the marker nor the verb takes person or number agreement endings.

A beneficiary can be a noun phrase or an appropriate pronoun: fún mi means ‘for me’ in the purchase example. English ‘for’ also expresses duration, reason and purpose, so its uses do not all correspond to fún.

• Mo ra ìwé fún Tósìn. — I bought a book for Tósìn. Tósìn benefits from the purchase.
• Mo fún Tósìn ní ìwé. — I gave Tósìn a book. Tósìn receives the book.
• Bísí ń se ìrẹsì fún àwọn ọmọ. — Bísí is cooking rice for the children. The children are beneficiaries.
• Tósìn ra ata fún mi. — Tósìn bought peppers for me. The speaker is the beneficiary.