hergeben
to hand over
To give something that you own or are holding to another person, often in response to a request or demand.
EXAMPLE
Gib sofort den Ball her, du bist nicht an der Reihe!
Hand over the ball right now; it's not your turn!
hergeben
to hand over / serve as
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Meanings
hergeben
to serve as
To serve as something specific or to be suitable for a purpose.
EXAMPLE
Das alte T-Shirt würde noch einen guten Putzlappen hergeben.
The old T-shirt would still make a good cleaning rag.
sich hergeben für
to stoop to
To agree to take part in something that is often seen as negative, questionable, or beneath one's dignity.
EXAMPLE
Ich kann nicht fassen, dass er sich für so eine Intrige hergibt.
I can't believe he would stoop to such an intrigue.
Usage tips
Separable verb
'Hergeben' (to hand over / serve as) is a separable verb. The prefix 'her' separates from the verb in a main clause and goes at the end. In subordinate clauses and in the infinitive with 'zu', the verb stays together.
EXAMPLE
Gib mir sofort mein Buch her!
Hand over my book right now!
Meaning of the prefix
The prefix 'her-' expresses movement toward the speaker. So 'Hergeben' (to hand over) literally means to give something in the direction of the speaker.
EXAMPLE
Komm mal rüber und gib mir den Hammer her!
Come over here and hand me the hammer!
Distinguishing meanings
The reflexive form 'sich hergeben für' (to stoop to something) always has a negative meaning. When the verb is not reflexive, it means either to physically hand something over or that something serves as material for a purpose.
EXAMPLE
Er gibt seinen Stift nicht her.
He won't hand over his pen.
Typical use
In the meaning 'überreichen' (to hand over), 'hergeben' is very often used in the imperative as a direct, sometimes impatient demand.
EXAMPLE
Gib das sofort her, das ist gefährlich!
Hand that over right now; it's dangerous!
Usage pattern
When something 'dient' (serves) as something else, the subject is the source or material. What it serves as appears as the accusative object in the sentence.
EXAMPLE
Diese alten Kisten geben gutes Brennholz her.
These old crates would make good firewood.
Reflexive with preposition
In the meaning 'sich für etwas Negatives zur Verfügung stellen' (to make oneself available for something negative), the verb is always reflexive and is used with the fixed preposition 'für' and the accusative.
EXAMPLE
Ich kann nicht glauben, dass sie sich für so ein schmutziges Spiel hergibt.
I can't believe she would stoop to such a dirty game.
Compare with
hergeben vs abgeben
to hand in / give off
Abgeben generally means handing over or leaving an object at a designated place. Hergeben means giving an object from your own possession or from another person’s hand, often in response to a request and to that person.
hergeben
Auf Aufforderung gibt Lea dem Mitarbeiter ihren Schlüssel her.
At the employee’s request, Lea hands over her key to him.
abgeben
Lea gibt ihren Schlüssel am Empfang ab.
Lea hands in her key at the reception desk.
In real life
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