{{Grammar Box}} 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. == Structure ==
Subj. + 给 + Target + Verb + Obj.
== Examples ==
* 我 给 他 打 电话 了。Literally, "I give him hit phone."Wǒ gěi tā dǎ diànhuà le.I gave him a phone call. * 请 给 我 回 电话。Qǐng gěi wǒ huí diànhuà.Please return my phone call. * 我 给 你 发 了 一 封 邮件。Wǒ gěi nǐ fā le yī fēng yóujiàn.I sent you a letter. *我 要 给 你 看 我们 的 新 产品。Wǒ yào gěi nǐ kàn wǒmen de xīn chǎnpǐn.I want you to take a look at our new product. * 给 女朋友 买 什么 礼物 呢？Gěi nǚpéngyou mǎi shénme lǐwù ne?What gift should I buy for my girlfriend? * 给 我 说 说 这 件 事情。Gěi wǒ shuō shuō zhè jiàn shìqing.Talk about this matter with me. * 小 时候，妈妈 每天 都 给 我 讲 故事。Xiǎo shíhou, māma měitiān dōu gěi wǒ jiǎng gùshi.When I was young, every day my mother would tell me stories. * 你 应该 给 他 道歉。Nǐ yīnggāi gěi tā dàoqiàn.You should apologize to him.
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." ==Alternative Structure== Although the structure above is the best one to learn first, some verbs frequently use 给, but have the 给 coming after the verb, rather than before. It's best to think of these as exceptions to the rule above, and you can learn more about these exceptions by reading about [["Gei" following verbs|"gei" following verbs]]. ==See also== *[["Gei" following verbs]] *[[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) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy] * [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 154) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy] * [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)]] (pp. 143) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561910401/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561910401 →buy] * [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)]] (pp. 165) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561926235/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7561926235 →buy] === Websites === * Chinesegrammar.info: [http://chinesegrammar.info/structure/gei3-directly-after-verb/ When 给 (gěi) comes directly after verbs in Mandarin Chinese (verb-给 compounds)] [[Category:B1 grammar points]] {{Basic Grammar|给|B1|Subj. + 给 + Target + Verb + Obj.|我 给 他 打 电话 了。|grammar point|ASG3ORNN}} {{Similar|"Gei" following verbs}} {{Similar|Expressing "with" with "gen"}} {{Similar|Using "dui"}} {{Similar|Complements with "dao," "gei" and "zai"}} {{Similar|Verbs that take double objects}} {{POS|Prepositions}} {{Translation|give}} {{Translation|to}} {{Translation|for}}