Meaning
to stop feeling angry or resentful towards someone
Primary Function
expresses pardon or acceptance
Communicative Purpose
to repair relations, show magnanimity
Pattern
forgive; for
Core Structure
forgive; for
Função primária
expresses pardon or acceptance
Propósito comunicativo
to repair relations, show magnanimity
Situações de gatilho
reconciliations, personal relationships, requests
Contextos
conversational, personal, emotional
Padrão
forgive; for
Estrutura central
forgive; for
Slots de substituição
someone for something or for doing something
Colocados típicos
- never
- completely
- eventually
- please forgive me for
Substituições comuns
- pardon for
- excuse for
Erros comuns
omitting 'for' (e.g., *forgive someone doing), which is non-standard
Similar / contraste
pardon for, excuse for, overlook
Interferências
Spanish learners may transfer 'perdonar por'; French learners may incorrectly use 'pardonner de' instead of 'pardonner pour'
Família do chunk
- pardon for
- excuse for
- overlook
- let off
Nuance
'forgive for' implies a deeper emotional process; 'pardon for' is more formal and detached
Efeito pragmático
facilitates emotional reconciliation; can signal humility or moral superiority
Dica de memória
forgive you for
Nota
The chunk 'forgive someone for something/doing' is semi-fixed, typically requiring the preposition 'for' followed by a noun or gerund. It is used to express pardon or acceptance, often in personal and emotional contexts. The chunk is common in conversational and personal settings, such as during reconciliations or when repairing relationships. It is important to note that omitting the preposition 'for' is considered less standard, and learner errors often involve this omission.
Upgrade path
use ‘pardon someone for’ for formal offences; ‘excuse someone for’ for minor things
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