Difference between revisions of "Verbs preceded by "gei""
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*现在 不要 <em>给</em> 他 打 电话 。<span class="pinyin">Xiànzài bùyào <em>gěi</em> tā dǎ diànhuà.</span><span class="trans">Don't give him a phone call now.</span> | *现在 不要 <em>给</em> 他 打 电话 。<span class="pinyin">Xiànzài bùyào <em>gěi</em> tā dǎ diànhuà.</span><span class="trans">Don't give him a phone call now.</span> | ||
*请 快点 <em>给</em> 我 回 邮件 。<span class="pinyin">Qǐng kuàidiǎn <em>gěi</em> wǒ huí yóujiàn.</span><span class="trans">Please return my email soon.</span> | *请 快点 <em>给</em> 我 回 邮件 。<span class="pinyin">Qǐng kuàidiǎn <em>gěi</em> wǒ huí yóujiàn.</span><span class="trans">Please return my email soon.</span> | ||
| − | *他 说 他 会 <em>给</em> 我 写信 。<span class="pinyin">Tā shuō tā huì <em>gěi</em> wǒ xiěxìn.</span><span class="trans">He said he would write letters to me.</span> | + | *他 说 他 会 <em>给</em> 我 写信 的 。<span class="pinyin">Tā shuō tā huì <em>gěi</em> wǒ xiěxìn de.</span><span class="trans">He said he would write letters to me.</span> |
*你 可以 <em>给</em> 大家 读 一下 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ kěyǐ <em>gěi</em> dàjiā dú yīxià ma?</span><span class="trans">Could you please read it for everybody?</span> | *你 可以 <em>给</em> 大家 读 一下 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ kěyǐ <em>gěi</em> dàjiā dú yīxià ma?</span><span class="trans">Could you please read it for everybody?</span> | ||
*我 <em>给</em> 你 发 了 好 几 个 短信 ，你 怎么 不 回 ？<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>gěi</em> nǐ fā le hǎo jǐ gè duǎnxìn. Nǐ zěnme bù huí?</span><span class="trans">I sent you quite a few short messages. Why didn't you return any?</span> | *我 <em>给</em> 你 发 了 好 几 个 短信 ，你 怎么 不 回 ？<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>gěi</em> nǐ fā le hǎo jǐ gè duǎnxìn. Nǐ zěnme bù huí?</span><span class="trans">I sent you quite a few short messages. Why didn't you return any?</span> | ||
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*爸爸 应该 <em>给</em> 儿子 道歉 。<span class="pinyin">Bàba yīnggāi <em>gěi</em> érzi dàoqiàn.</span><span class="trans">The father should apologize to his son.</span> | *爸爸 应该 <em>给</em> 儿子 道歉 。<span class="pinyin">Bàba yīnggāi <em>gěi</em> érzi dàoqiàn.</span><span class="trans">The father should apologize to his son.</span> | ||
*谁 能 <em>给</em> 我 解释 一下 ？<span class="pinyin">Shéi néng <em>gěi</em> wǒ jiěshì yīxià?</span><span class="trans">Who can explain this to me?</span> | *谁 能 <em>给</em> 我 解释 一下 ？<span class="pinyin">Shéi néng <em>gěi</em> wǒ jiěshì yīxià?</span><span class="trans">Who can explain this to me?</span> | ||
| − | *<em>给</em> 我们 | + | *老板 让 我 明天 <em>给</em> 客户 介绍 我们 的 新 产品 。<span class="trans">My boss asked to present our new product to the client tomrrow.</span> |
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Revision as of 08:10, 4 January 2018
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Keywords
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.
Contents
Structure
Subj. + 给 + Target + [Verb Phrase]
Examples
- 现在 不要 给 他 打 电话 。Don't give him a phone call now.
- 请 快点 给 我 回 邮件 。Please return my email soon.
- 他 说 他 会 给 我 写信 的 。He said he would write letters to me.
- 你 可以 给 大家 读 一下 吗 ？Could you please read it for everybody?
- 我 给 你 发 了 好 几 个 短信 ，你 怎么 不 回 ？I sent you quite a few short messages. Why didn't you return any?
- 她 的 粉丝 常常 给 她 寄 礼物 。Her fans often send her gifts.
- 小时候 ，妈妈 每天 都 给 我 讲 故事 。When I was young, every day my mother would tell me stories.
- 爸爸 应该 给 儿子 道歉 。The father should apologize to his son.
- 谁 能 给 我 解释 一下 ？Who can explain this to me?
- 老板 让 我 明天 给 客户 介绍 我们 的 新 产品 。My boss asked to present our new product to the client tomrrow.
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 can learn more about these exceptions by reading about Verbs followed by "gei".
See also
- Verbs followed by "gei"
- Expressing "for" with "gei"
- Expressing "with" with "gen"
- Using "dui"
- Complements with "dao"
Sources and Further Reading
Books
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 170) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 154) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1) (pp. 143) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed) (pp. 165) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
Websites
- Chinesegrammar.info: When 给 (gěi) comes directly after verbs in Mandarin Chinese (verb-给 compounds)
