Verbs preceded by "gei"

The word 给 (gěi) literally means "to give", but is frequently used in Chinese to indicate the target of a verb. The target is who or what the verb is aimed or directed at.

Structure

Subject + 给 + Target + Verb + Object

Examples

• 我 给 他 打 电话 了。Wǒ gěi tā dǎ diànhuà le.I gave him a phone call. (Literally: I give him hit phone.)
• 请 给 我 回 电话。Qǐng gěi wǒ huí diànhuà.
• 我 给 你 发 了 一 封 邮件。Wǒ gěi nǐ fā le yī fēng yóujiàn.
• 但是 你 没有 给 我 回 邮件。Dànshì nǐ méiyǒu gěi wǒ huí yóujiàn.
• 你 用 什么 电脑 给 我 传 文件？Nǐ yòng shénme diànnǎo gěi wǒ chuán wénjiàn?
• 我 要 给 你 看 我们 的 新 产品。Wǒ yào gěi nǐ kàn wǒmen de xīn chǎnpǐn.
• 给 女朋友 送 什么 礼物 呢？Gěi nǚ péngyǒu sòng shénme lǐwù ne?
• 给 我 说 说 这 件 事情。Gěi wǒ shuō shuō zhè jiàn shìqíng.
• 小 时候，妈妈 每天 都 给 我 讲 故事。Xiǎoshíhòu, māmā měitiān dōu gěi wǒ jiǎng gùshì.
• 你 应该 给 他 道歉。Nǐ yīnggāi gěi tā dàoqiàn.

Chinese speakers use 给 (gěi) in some interesting ways, similar to how English speakers use "to give", as in "to give someone a phone call" or "to give someone a reply".

Alternative Structure

Although the structure above is the best one to learn first, some verbs frequently use 给, but have the 给 coming after the verb, rather than before. It's best to think of these as exceptions to the rule above, and you cane learn more about these exceptions by reading about "gei" following verbs.

See also

• "Gei" following verbs
• Expressing "with" with "gen"
• Using "dui"
• Complements with "dao", "gei" and "zai"

Sources and Further Reading

Books

• Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 170) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 154) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1) (pp. 143) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed) (pp. 165) →buy

Websites

• Chinesegrammar.info: When 给 (gěi) comes directly after verbs in Mandarin Chinese (verb-给 compounds)