HSK 1 grammar · new HSK syllabus
Giving and telling: 给, 叫
给 + person + thing = give someone something. 给 + person + verb = do something for someone.
Structure
- Subject + 给 + person + thing
- Subject + 给 + person + verb
How it works
As a verb, 给 takes two objects, the person first: 我给你一本书 = I give you a book.
Before another verb, 给 means “for” or “to”: 我给妈妈打电话 = I call Mum.
Other verbs that take a person and a thing: 问 (问老师一个问题), 叫 (他叫我小王 = he calls me Xiao Wang).
Examples
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我给你一个苹果。
Wǒ gěi nǐ yí gè píngguǒ.
I’ll give you an apple.
-
妈妈给了我一些钱。
Māma gěi le wǒ yìxiē qián.
Mum gave me some money.
-
我晚上给你打电话。
Wǒ wǎnshang gěi nǐ dǎdiànhuà.
I’ll call you tonight.
-
他给我们做了饭。
Tā gěi wǒmen zuò le fàn.
He cooked for us.
-
我想问老师一个问题。
Wǒ xiǎng wèn lǎoshī yí gè wèntí.
I’d like to ask the teacher a question.
Words in these examples (20)
| 我 | wǒ | I; me | HSK 1 |
| 给 | gěi | to give; for; to | HSK 1 |
| 你 | nǐ | you | HSK 1 |
| 一 | yī | one | HSK 1 |
| 个 | gè | (general measure word) | HSK 1 |
| 苹果 | píngguǒ | apple | HSK 1 |
| 妈妈 | māma | mum; mother | HSK 1 |
| 了 | le | (particle marking a completed action or a change) | HSK 1 |
| 一些 | yìxiē | some | HSK 1 |
| 钱 | qián | money | HSK 1 |
| 晚上 | wǎnshang | evening; night | HSK 1 |
| 打电话 | dǎdiànhuà | to make a phone call | HSK 1 |
| 他 | tā | he; him | HSK 1 |
| 我们 | wǒmen | we; us | HSK 1 |
| 做 | zuò | to do; to make | HSK 1 |
| 饭 | fàn | meal; cooked rice | HSK 1 |
| 想 | xiǎng | to want to; to think; to miss | HSK 1 |
| 问 | wèn | to ask | HSK 1 |
| 老师 | lǎoshī | teacher | HSK 1 |
| 问题 | wèntí | question; problem | HSK 1 |
Common mistakes
-
✗我给一本书你。
✓我给你一本书。
Person first, then the thing.
-
✗我打电话给妈妈了明天。
✓我明天给妈妈打电话。
给 + person comes before the verb, and time before both.
Check yourself
Choose the word that fills the gap.
1. 我 他一本书。
2. 我晚上 你打电话。
3. 妈妈给 一个苹果。