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. There are two structures for this:

Subject + Verb + Object + 给 + Target

Subject + 给 + Target + Verb + Object

The meaning is the same with either structure.

Some examples:

• 我 给 他 打 电话。
• 你 打 电话 给 他。
• 请 给 我 回复。

See also

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

Sources and further reading

Books

• 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