geben
to give
An irregular verb meaning 'to give' with stem change e→i (du gibst, er gibt). Also used in the impersonal 'es gibt' (there is/there are), one of the most important German expressions.
Conjugation
Present Tense (Präsens)
| Pronomen | Form |
|---|---|
| ich | gebe |
| du | gibst |
| er/sie/es | gibt |
| wir | geben |
| ihr | gebt |
| sie/Sie | geben |
Simple Past (Präteritum)
| Pronomen | Form |
|---|---|
| ich | gab |
| du | gabst |
| er/sie/es | gab |
| wir | gaben |
| ihr | gabt |
| sie/Sie | gaben |
Perfect (Perfekt)
| Auxiliary | Partizip II |
|---|---|
| haben | gegeben |
z.B.: Ich habe gegeben
Imperative (Imperativ)
| du | ihr | Sie |
|---|---|---|
| gib | gebt | geben Sie |
Example Sentences
Gib mir bitte das Buch.
Please give me the book.
Es gibt viele Restaurants in Berlin.
There are many restaurants in Berlin.
Er hat mir einen guten Rat gegeben.
He gave me good advice.
Usage Tips
'es gibt' + Akkusativ means 'there is/are': 'Es gibt einen Park hier' (There is a park here). Always uses Akkusativ, never Nominativ or Dativ.
Common Mistakes
Wrong case after 'es gibt': 'Es gibt ein Park'
Related Verbs
Related Grammar
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