Difference between revisions of "Verbs followed by "gei""

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*昨天 有人 <em>送给</em> 我 一 束 花 。<span class="pinyin">Zuótiān  <em>sòng gěi</em>  yī shù huā.</span><span class="trans">Someone gave me a bouquet of flowers.</span>
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*昨天 有人 <em>送给</em> 我 一 束 花 。<span class="pinyin">Zuótiān  <em>sònggěi</em>  yī shù huā.</span><span class="trans">Someone gave me a bouquet of flowers.</span>
 
*请 <em>递给</em> 我 一 盒 纸巾 。<span class="pinyin">Qǐng <em>dìgěi</em> wǒ yī hé zhǐjīn.</span><span class="trans">Please pass me a box of tissues.</span>
 
*请 <em>递给</em> 我 一 盒 纸巾 。<span class="pinyin">Qǐng <em>dìgěi</em> wǒ yī hé zhǐjīn.</span><span class="trans">Please pass me a box of tissues.</span>
 
*这是 我们 <em>送给</em> 你的 生日礼物 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè shì wǒmen <em>sònggěi</em> nǐ de shēngrì lǐwù.</span><span class="trans">This is your birthday present from us.</span>
 
*这是 我们 <em>送给</em> 你的 生日礼物 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè shì wǒmen <em>sònggěi</em> nǐ de shēngrì lǐwù.</span><span class="trans">This is your birthday present from us.</span>

Revision as of 07:13, 30 September 2018

Although it's standard practice to put a word or phrase that modifies a verb before the verb, there are, of course, exceptions. (gěi) is one of those exceptions; it sometimes comes before the verb, and sometimes after. This article is about when it comes after.

Basic Pattern

Structure

Note that the verbs that fit into this pattern are normally single-syllable verbs.

Subj. + Verb + 给 + Recipient + Obj.

or

Obj. + Subj. + Verb + 给 + Recipient

Examples

  • 昨天 有人 送给 我 一 束 花 。Zuótiān sònggěi yī shù huā.Someone gave me a bouquet of flowers.
  • 递给 我 一 盒 纸巾 。Qǐng dìgěi wǒ yī hé zhǐjīn.Please pass me a box of tissues.
  • 这是 我们 送给 你的 生日礼物 。Zhè shì wǒmen sònggěi nǐ de shēngrì lǐwù.This is your birthday present from us.
  • 这本书 是 谁 借给 你 的 ?Zhè běn shū shì shéi jiègěi nǐ de?Who lent you this book?
  • 邮件 我 已经 发给 你 了 。Yóujiàn wǒ yǐjīng fāgěi nǐ le.I sent you that email already.

Advanced Pattern

Structure

Additionally, you can add into this structure. This does not change the meaning of the sentence and when used in context can even add emphasis to what's being done and given.

Subj. + 把 + Obj. + Verb + 给 + Recipient

Examples

  • 你 想 这个 礼物 送给 谁 ?Nǐ xiǎng zhège lǐwù sòng gěi shéi?Who are you going to give this present to?
  • 那些 照片 都 发给 我 。Qǐng nàxiē zhàopiàn dōu fā gěi wǒ.Please send all of those pictures to me.
  • 我 已经 卖给 了 一 个 朋友 。Wǒ yǐjīng chē mài gěi le yī gè péngyou.I've already sold my car to a friend of mine.
  • 递给 我 ,谢谢 。Qǐng yán dì gěi wǒ, xièxie.Please pass me the salt. Thanks.
  • 可以 这 本 书 借给 我 吗 ?Kěyǐ zhè běn shū jiè gěi wǒ ma?Could you please lend me this book?

Note that the verb 嫁 (jià) cannot fit into the 把 pattern above; it's an exception.

  • 嫁给 了 一 个 有钱 的 老头 。jià gěi le yī gè yǒuqián de lǎotóu. She married a rich old man.

If you really want to make a 把 sentence, though, you can do this:

  • 她 爸爸 嫁给 了 一 个 有钱 的 老头 。Tā bàba jià gěi le yī gè yǒuqián de lǎotóu. Her father married her off to a rich old man.

Academic Debate

Although 给 phrases should normally precede a verb like any other prepositional phrase, they sometimes come after. Why have it both ways? There is some academic debate over whether this 给 is actually a preposition or a type of verb (often called a "co-verb"), or even a type of complement. This type of discussion is outside the scope of this article, however.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries