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.
Contents
- 1 Basic Pattern
- 1.1 Structure
- 1.2 Examples
- 2 Advanced Pattern
- 2.1 Structure
- 2.2 Examples
- 3 Academic Debate
- 4 See also
- 5 Sources and further reading
- 5.1 Books
- 5.2 Dictionaries
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 yǒu rén sòng gěi wǒ yī shù huā.
Someone gave me a bouquet of flowers.
- 请 递 给 我 一 盒 纸巾 。
Qǐng dì gěi 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 sòng gěi 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 jiè gěi nǐ de?
Who lent you this book?
- 邮件 我 已经 发 给 你 了 。
Yóujiàn wǒ yǐjīng fā gěi nǐ le.
I sent you that email already.
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 这个 礼物 送 给 谁 ？
Nǐ xiǎng bǎ zhège lǐwù sòng gěi shéi?
Who are you going to give this present to?
- 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 车 卖 给 了 一 个 朋友 。
Wǒ yǐjīng bǎ chē mài gěi le yī gè péngyou.
I've already sold my 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 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.
- 她 嫁 给 了 一 个 有钱 的 老头 。
Tā 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 把 她 嫁 给 了 一 个 有钱 的 老头 。
Tā bàba bǎ tā 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, 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
Dictionaries
- 现代汉语词典（第5版） (pp. 464) →buy