Verbs preceded by "gei"

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".

Structure 1

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. There are two structures for this:

Subject + 给 + Target + Verb + Object

Examples

• 我 给 他 打 电话。I give him a phone call. (Literally: I give him hit phone.)
• 请 给 我 回复。Please give me a reply.
• 你 妈妈 每天 都 给 你 做饭 吗？Does your mama cook for you every day? (Literally: Your mama everyday gives you cook food?
• 我 想 给 你 一个 好 东西。I want to give you something good.

Structure 2

The meaning is the same with Structure 1 above, except that there is a limit to the verbs you can use. The verbs often used are "打电话、回邮件、发邮件、送礼物、传文件"

Subject + Verb + Object + 给 + Target

Examples

• 你 打 电话 给 他。You give him a phone call. (Literally: You hit phone give he.)
• 我 会 发 邮件给 他。I will send him an email.
• 他 昨天 送 花 给 我 了。You sent me flowers yesterday.

See also

• 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)