{{Grammar Box}}
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 ===
* 他 送给 了 我 一 束 花。Tā sòng gěi le wǒ yī shù huā. He gave me a bouquet of flowers.
* 这 个 老板 卖给 了 我 一 条 死 鱼。Zhège lǎobǎn mài gěi le wǒ yītiáo sǐ yú. This boss sold me a dead fish.
* 我 要 还给 你 三 十 块 钱。Wǒ yào huán gěi nǐ sānshí kuài qián. I need to return 30rmb to you.
* 房东 租给 了 我 一 个 很 便宜 的 房子。Fángdōng zū gěi le wǒ yīgè hěn piányi de fángzi.The landlord rented a very cheap house to me.
* 我 借给 了 他 一 本 书。Wǒ jiè gěi le tā yī běn shū. I lent him a book.
* 我 要 糖，他 递给 了 我 一 瓶 盐。Wǒ yào táng, tā dì gěi le wǒ yī píng yán. I wanted sugar, he handed me a bottle of salt.
* 姐姐 分给 了 我 一块 蛋糕。Jiějie fēn gěi le wǒ yīkuài dàngāo. Older sister gave me a piece of cake.
* 老师 传授给 了 学生 很多 经验。Lǎoshī chuánshòu gěi le xuésheng hěn duō jīngyàn. The teacher passed on a lot of experience to us.
* 我们 献给 了 老师 一 首 歌。Wǒmen xiàn gěi le lǎoshī yī shǒu gē. We dedicated a song to the teacher.
* 这些 校友 捐给 了 学校 二 十 万。Zhèxiē xiàoyǒu juān gěi le xuéxiào èrshí wàn.These alumni donated two hundred thousand to the school.
* 主人 赏给 了 小狗 一 块 肉。Zhǔrén shǎng gěi le xiǎo gǒu yīkuài ròu. The owner rewarded his dog with a piece of meat.
* 一 个 孩子 交给 了 我 一 封 信。Yīgè xiǎohái jiāo gěi le wǒ yī fēng xìn. A child gave me a letter.
== Pattern Using 把 ==
=== 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 + Somebody
=== Examples ===
* 他 把 一 束 花 送给 了 我。Tā bǎ yī shù huā sòng gěi le wǒ.He gave me a bouquet of flowers.
* 这 个 老板 把 一 条 死鱼 卖给 了 我。Zhège lǎobǎn bǎ yītiáo sǐ yú mài gěi le wǒ.This boss sold me a dead fish.
* 房东 把 一 个 很 便宜 的 房子 租给 了 我。Fángdōng bǎ yī gè hěn piányi de fángzi zū gěi le wǒ.The landlord rented a very cheap house to me.
* 我 把 书 借给 了 他。Wǒ bǎ shū jiè gěi le tā.I lent him a book.
* 我 要 糖，他 把 一 瓶 盐 递给 了 我。Wǒ yào táng, tā bǎ yī píng yán dì gěi le wǒ.I wanted sugar, he handed me a bottle of salt.
* 姐姐 把 一 块 蛋糕 分给 了 我。Jiějie bǎ yīkuài dàngāo fēn gěi le wǒ.Older sister gave me a piece of cake.
* 老师 把 很 多 经验 都 传授 给 了 学生。Lǎoshī bǎ hěn duō jīngyàn dōu chuánshòu gěi le xuésheng.The teacher passed on a lot of experience to us.
* 我们 把 一 首 歌 献给 了 老师。Wǒmen bǎ yī shǒu gē xiàn gěi le lǎoshī. We dedicated a song to the teacher.
* 这些 校友 把 二 十 万 捐给 了 学校。Zhèxiē xiàoyǒu bǎ èrshí wàn juān gěi le xuéxiào.These alumnus donated two hundred thousand to the school.
* 主人 把 一 块 肉 赏给 了 小狗。Zhǔrén bǎ yīkuài ròu shǎng gěi le xiǎo gǒu.The owner rewarded his dog with a piece of meat.
* 一 个 孩子 把 一 封 信 交给 了 我。Yī gè xiǎohái bǎ yī fēng xìn jiāo gěi le wǒ.A child gave me a letter.
=== Exception to the 把 Pattern: 嫁 ===
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 yǒu qián 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 yǒu qián 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==
*[[Verbs with "gei"]]
*[["for" with "gei"]]
*[[Expressing passive voice with "gei"]]
*[[Advanced uses of "ba"]]
== Sources and further reading ==
=== Books ===
*[[现代汉语虚词例释]] (p. 196)[http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B004323J90/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1 →buy]
=== Dictionaries ===
* [[现代汉语词典（第5版）]] (p. 464) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8/dp/B001B1RZCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693609&sr=8-1 →buy]
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|给|B1|Subj. + 把 + Obj. + Verb + 给 + Somebody|他 送给 了 我 一 束 花。|grammar point|ASGMMHTQ}}
{{Rel char|把}}
{{Similar|"All Along" with "yuanlai"}}
{{Similar|Expressing passive voice with "gei"}}
{{Similar|Advanced uses of "ba"}}
{{Used for|Describing actions}}
{{POS|Verbs}}
{{Translation|to}}
{{Translation|give}}