Verbs followed by "gei"

Although it's standard practice to put a word or phrase that modifies a verb before the verb, there are, of course, exceptions. 给 (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.

Examples

• 昨天 有人 送给 我 一 束 花 。Zuótiān sòng gěi yī shù huā.Someone gave me a bouquet of flowers.
• 她 扔给 那个 乞丐 几 个 硬币 。Tā rēng gěi nàge qǐgài jǐ gè yìngbì.She threw a few coins towards the beggar.
• 我们 公司 一共 捐给 这个 学校 二 十 万 。Wǒmen gōngsī yīgòng juān gěi zhège xuéxiào èrshí wàn.Our company donated two hundred thousand in total to the school.
• 老板 要 交给 你 一个 重要 的 任务 。Lǎobǎn yào jiāogěi nǐ yī gè zhòngyào de rènwu.The boss will give you an important task.
• 你 怎么 寄给 我 这么 多 东西 ？Nǐ zěnme jì gěi wǒ zhème duō dōngxi?Why did you send me so many things?

Advanced Pattern

Structure

Additionally, you can add 把 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 把 这 束 花 送给 老师 吗 ？Nǐ xiǎng bǎ zhè shù huā sòng gěi lǎoshī ma?Are you going to give this bouquet of flowers to the teacher?
• 请 把 那些 照片 都 发给 我 。Qǐng bǎ nàxiē zhàopiàn dōu fā gěi wǒ.Please send all of those pictures to me.
• 我 已经 把 这 辆 车 卖给 了 一 个 朋友 。Wǒ yǐjīng bǎ zhè liàng chē mài gěi le yī gè péngyou.I've already sold this car to a friend of mine.
• 请 把 盐 递给 我 ，谢谢 。Qǐng bǎ yán dì gěi wǒ, xièxie.Please pass me the salt. Thanks.
• 可以 把 这 本 书 借给 我 吗 ？Kěyǐ bǎ zhè běn shūjiè gěi wǒ ma?Teacher, could you please lend me this book?

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

• 她 嫁给 了 一 个 有钱 的 老头 。Tā jià gěi le yī gè yǒuqián de lǎotóu.

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

• 她 的 爸爸 把 她 嫁给 了 一 个 有钱 的 老头 。Tā de bàba bǎ tā jià gěi le yī gè yǒuqián de lǎotóu.

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

• Expressing "for" with "gei"
• Verbs preceded by "gei"
• Advanced uses of "ba"
• Expressing "for" with "wei"
• Expressing passive voice with "gei"

Sources and further reading

Books

• 现代汉语虚词例释 (pp. 196) 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy

Dictionaries

• 现代汉语词典（第5版） (pp. 464) 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy