01
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
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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
geben vs tun
to do
'geben' and 'tun' can both refer to something coming to a place or to a person. 'geben' is used when someone hands something to another person or transfers it into their possession. 'tun' can colloquially mean that you put something somewhere. Learners may confuse the words because in some situations both can be used to talk about moving things. As a practical rule: with a person, you usually say 'geben'; with a place, in everyday language you often use 'tun', for example 'in die Tasche tun' (to put into the bag).
geben
Ich gebe dem Lehrer das Formular, bevor der Unterricht beginnt.
I give the teacher the form before class starts.
tun
Morgen tue ich den Brief in den Briefkasten auf dem Weg zur Arbeit.
Tomorrow I’ll put the letter in the mailbox on my way to work.
In real life
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