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

Subj. + 给 + Target + [Verb Phrase]

Examples

• 现在 不要 给 他 打 电话 。Xiànzài bùyào gěi tā dǎ diànhuà.Don't give him a phone call now.
• 请 快点 给 我 回 邮件 。Qǐng kuàidiǎn gěi wǒ huí yóujiàn.Please hurry up and reply to my email.
• 他 说 他 会 给 我 写 信 的 。Tā shuō tā huì gěi wǒ xiě xìn de.He said he would write letters to me.
• 你 可以 给 大家 读 一下 吗 ？Nǐ kěyǐ gěi dàjiā dú yīxià ma?Could you please read it for everybody?
• 我 给 你 发 短信 了 ，你 怎么 不 回 ？Wǒ gěi nǐ fā duǎnxìn le. Nǐ zěnme bù huí?I sent you a text. Why didn't you reply?
• 她 的 粉丝 常常 给 她 寄 礼物 。Tā de fěnsī chángcháng gěi tā jì lǐwù.Her fans often send her gifts.
• 小 时候 ，妈妈 每天 都 给 我 讲 故事 。Xiǎo shíhou, māma měi tiān dōu gěi wǒ jiǎng gùshi.When I was young, my mother would tell me stories every day.
• 爸爸 应该 给 儿子 道歉 。Bàba yīnggāi gěi érzi dàoqiàn.The father should apologize to his son.
• 谁 能 给 我 解释 一下 ？Shéi néng gěi wǒ jiěshì yīxià?Who can explain this to me?
• 老板 让 我 明天 给 客户 介绍 我们 的 新 产品 。Lǎobǎn ràng wǒ míngtiān gěi kèhù jièshào wǒmen de xīn chǎnpǐn.My boss asked to present our new product to the client tomorrow.

Chinese speakers use 给 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" with verbs

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

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