给
Pattern
Subject + 给 + person + verb / thing
Key words
Core idea
给 can mark the recipient or beneficiary of an action.
The common pattern is:
给 + person + verb phraseIt answers “for whom?” or “to whom?” before the action is stated.
Usage boundary
This page focuses on 给 before the recipient. Chinese also has other orders with giving and sending verbs, but this pattern is a safe, useful way to build many beginner and A2 sentences.
Compare with helping
给 marks who receives the action. 帮 emphasizes that someone helps or does something on another person's behalf.
Examples
我给朋友买了一杯咖啡。
Wǒ gěi péngyou mǎi le yì bēi kāfēi.
I bought a cup of coffee for a friend.
请给我发短信。
Qǐng gěi wǒ fā duǎnxìn.
Please send me a text message.
她给孩子讲故事。
Tā gěi háizi jiǎng gùshi.
She tells the child a story.
Common mistakes
Avoid
请给发我短信。
Use
请给我发短信。
In this pattern, 给 comes before the recipient, and the action follows.
Seen in stories
The Flowers Left at the Door
五楼太太以为有人给她送花，开心了五分钟。
The woman on the fifth floor thinks someone sent flowers to her and is happy for five minutes.
The Flowers Left at the Door
六楼爷爷说，他可以给管理室打电话问问。
The grandfather on the sixth floor says he can call the management office to ask.
The Flowers Left at the Door
四楼小孩给花束画了一张小地图，怕它又迷路。
A child on the fourth floor draws a little map for the bouquet, afraid it will get lost again.
The Flowers Left at the Door
傍晚，花店员工终于回来，说花是给三楼护士的。
In the evening, the flower-shop worker finally returns and says the flowers are for the nurse on the third floor.
The Flowers Left at the Door
她给大家拍了一张照片，照片里那束花终于站对了门口。
She takes a photo for everyone, and in it the bouquet finally stands at the right doorway.