das Geben
giving
The act of leaving, handing, or making something available to someone.
EXAMPLE
Das Geben von Geschenken macht ihr große Freude.
She takes great pleasure in giving gifts.
das Geben
giving
das Geben
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Meanings
Geben und Nehmen
give and take
A balanced relationship in which everyone involved contributes something and receives something in return.
EXAMPLE
In einer guten Freundschaft gehören Geben und Nehmen zusammen.
In a good friendship, give and take go hand in hand.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Geben, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | neuter das |
|---|---|
| genitive | des Gebens |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | das Geben | – |
| accusative | das Geben | – |
| dative | dem Geben | – |
| genitive | des Gebens | – |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Nominalized verb
'Das Geben' (giving) is the nominalized infinitive of 'geben' (to give). As a noun, it is capitalized and takes the article 'das'; it also frequently appears in the phrase 'beim Geben' (when giving).
EXAMPLE
Beim Geben zählt nicht der Preis, sondern die Geste.
When giving, it's not the price that matters, but the gesture.
Typical complement
When what someone gives is specified, 'von' (of/from) is often followed by a noun. This combination is used especially in general or abstract statements.
EXAMPLE
Das Geben von Geld an Hilfsorganisationen kann viel bewirken.
Giving money to charitable organizations can make a big difference.
Fixed expression
In 'Geben und Nehmen' (give and take), two nominalized verbs stand side by side as equals. The expression often appears with an indefinite article and an adjective, as in 'ein ständiges Geben und Nehmen' (constant give and take), or after 'zwischen' (between).
EXAMPLE
Eine gute Partnerschaft ist ein ständiges Geben und Nehmen.
A good partnership is a constant give and take.
Zwischen Geben und Nehmen muss ein faires Verhältnis bestehen.
There must be a fair balance between give and take.
In real life
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