geben
to give
To hand something to someone or transfer it into their possession.
EXAMPLE
Kannst du mir bitte das Salz geben?
Can you please give me the salt?
geben
to give
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Meanings
es gibt
there is / are
A fixed expression that expresses the existence of something or someone. It corresponds to the English 'there is' or 'there are'.
EXAMPLE
In dieser Stadt gibt es viele interessante Museen.
There are many interesting museums in this city.
geben
to give
To give someone something as a gift or to donate something.
EXAMPLE
Meine Oma hat mir zum Geburtstag 50 Euro gegeben.
My grandma gave me 50 euros for my birthday.
geben
to give
To provide or grant something abstract, for example information, advice, or an opportunity.
EXAMPLE
Der Lehrer hat uns den Tipp gegeben, das Kapitel noch einmal zu lesen.
The teacher gave us the tip to read the chapter again.
geben
to host
To organize and host an event such as a celebration or concert.
EXAMPLE
Nächstes Wochenende geben wir eine große Party.
Next weekend we are hosting a big party.
geben
to equal
To result from something or come out as the result, especially in mathematics.
EXAMPLE
Fünf plus sieben gibt zwölf.
Five plus seven equals twelve.
sich geben
to subside
To lessen, stop, or calm down. Often refers to natural phenomena or strong emotions.
EXAMPLE
Der Regen wird sich bald geben und die Sonne kommt wieder raus.
The rain will soon subside and the sun will come out again.
sich geben als
to pose as
To pretend to be a certain person or thing; to put on an act.
EXAMPLE
Er gibt sich als großer Kenner aus, hat aber in Wahrheit keine Ahnung.
He poses as a great expert, but in truth he has no idea.
Usage tips
Dative and accusative
The verb 'geben' (to give) typically uses two objects: the person receiving something is in the dative, and the thing being handed over is in the accusative. The pattern is: someone (nominative) gives someone (dative) something (accusative).
EXAMPLE
Ich gebe meiner Schwester (Dativ) ein Buch (Akkusativ).
I give my sister (dative) a book (accusative).
Word family
'Geben' (to give) is the base verb for many important separable verbs in German. These include, for example, 'aufgeben' (to give up), 'ausgeben' (to spend), 'zurückgeben' (to give back), or 'angeben' (to show off / state), all of which have a derived meaning.
EXAMPLE
Bitte vergiss nicht, mir mein Buch zurückzugeben.
Please don't forget to give me my book back.
Fixed expression with accusative
The expression 'es gibt' (there is/there are) expresses the existence of something. The object that exists is always in the accusative, never in the nominative.
EXAMPLE
Gibt es hier in der Nähe einen Supermarkt?
Is there a supermarket near here?
Context clue
You can recognize the expression 'es gibt' (there is/there are) by the fact that 'es' (it) appears as a fixed, impersonal subject at the beginning of the sentence or after the verb. The meaning is then always 'to exist' or 'to be present'.
EXAMPLE
Es gibt keinen Grund zur Sorge.
There is no reason to worry.
Typical collocations
For abstract things, 'geben' (to give) is often used in fixed collocations. Common examples are 'einen Rat geben' (to give advice), 'eine Antwort geben' (to give an answer), 'Bescheid geben' (to let someone know), or 'sich Mühe geben' (to make an effort).
EXAMPLE
Kannst du mir bitte Bescheid geben, wenn du fertig bist?
Can you please let me know when you're finished?
Typical collocations
In the meaning of 'to host' or 'to put on', 'geben' is usually combined with social events. Typical phrases are 'eine Party geben' (to throw a party), 'ein Fest geben' (to hold a celebration), or 'ein Essen geben' (to host a dinner).
EXAMPLE
Zu ihrem runden Geburtstag hat sie ein großes Fest gegeben.
For her milestone birthday, she held a big celebration.
Reflexive use
The reflexive form 'sich geben' means 'to subside' or 'to calm down'. The subject is often an uncontrollable event such as weather, a pain, or a strong feeling.
EXAMPLE
Der Sturm hat sich über Nacht gegeben.
The storm subsided overnight.
Fixed expression
The expression 'sich geben als' means 'to pretend to be someone'. The structure is always reflexive and is followed by the preposition 'als' (as).
EXAMPLE
Der Betrüger gab sich als Polizist aus.
The fraudster posed as a police officer.
Compare with
reichenleistensteckenergebenspendenüberlassenschenkenerteilengewährenschiebenveranstaltenüberreichenverabreichenaushändigen
geben vs reichen
to hand / to suffice
Geben and reichen can both mean that someone hands an object to another person. Geben generally emphasizes the transfer or change of possession, while reichen emphasizes extending the object over a short distance. Use geben for the general action and reichen when the movement toward the other person is important.
geben
Ich gebe meiner Schwester den Schlüssel für die Wohnung.
I give my sister the key to the apartment.
reichen
Ich reiche meiner Schwester den Schlüssel über den Tisch.
I hand my sister the key across the table.
In real life
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