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

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.

Subject + 给 + Target + Verb + Object

Examples

• 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 给 他 打 电话 了。I gave him a phone call. (Literally: I give him hit phone.)
• 请 给 我 回复。Please give me a reply.
• 你 需要 我 给 你 点 菜吗？Do you need me to give you a little bit of food?
• 看 看 我 给 你 带 了 什么？Did you give what I brought you a little look?
• 我 要 给 他们 做 一 个 演讲。I want to give them a speech.
• 小时候，爸爸 经常 给 我 讲 故事。When I was little, my dad often told me stories
• 我 给 我 的 小狗 做 了 一 件 衣服。I gave my dog an article of clothing I made.
• 今年 这 个 老师 给 我们 上 课。This year, this teacher taught our class.
• 我 给 我 的 女 朋友 送 了 一 束 花。I gave my girlfriend a bouquet.

You can change the above structure into another structure when referring to""打电话、回邮件、发邮件、送礼物、传文件" and the meaning won't change.

Subject + Verb + Object + 给 + Target

Here are 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.
• 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?
• 看 看 我 带 了 什么 给 你 ？Did you look a little bit at what I brought you?
• 我 要 做 一 个 演讲 给 他们 。I want to write a speech to give them.
• 我 做 了 一 件 衣服 给 我 的 小狗 。I made clothes to give my small dog.
• 你 会 送 花 给 我 吗？Can you give me a bouquet?

But the following expressions sounds weird:

• 今年 这 个 老师 上 课 给 我们 。
This year, this teacher attended class to give us.
• 你 需要 我 点 菜 给 你 吗？
Do you have to a little food give me?
• 请 回复 给 我 。
Please reply give me.
• 小时候，爸爸 经常 讲 故事 给 我 。
When I was young, my father often told stories gave me.

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)