Etymology

Inherited from Middle High German gëben, from Old High German gëban, from Proto-West Germanic *geban, from Proto-Germanic *gebaną, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰebʰ-.

Pronunciation

• (Standard, Germany) IPA^(key): [ɡeːb(ə)n], [ɡeːbm̩]Category:German terms with IPA pronunciation#GEBEN

• Audio:

  (file)

  Category:German terms with audio pronunciation#GEBEN

• Audio (Germany (Berlin)):

  (file)

  Category:German terms with audio pronunciation#GEBEN

• Audio (Germany (Berlin)):

  (file)

  Category:German terms with audio pronunciation#GEBEN

• Audio (Austria):

  (file)

  Category:German terms with audio pronunciation#GEBEN
• Rhymes: -eːbənCategory:Rhymes:German/eːbən#GEBEN
• Hyphenation: ge‧ben

Verb

geben (class 5 strong, third-person singular present gibt, past tense gab, past participle gegeben, past subjunctive gäbe, auxiliary haben)Category:German lemmas#GEBENCategory:German verbs#GEBENCategory:German strong verbs#GEBENCategory:German class 5 strong verbs#GEBENCategory:German verbs using haben as auxiliary#GEBENCategory:German entries with incorrect language header#GEBENCategory:Pages with entries#GEBENCategory:Pages with 3 entries#GEBEN

1. (ditransitiveCategory:German ditransitive verbs#GEBEN) to give (changing ownership) [with dative ‘someone’ and accusative ‘something’]

   Synonym: schenken

   Meine Frau hat mir eine neue Uhr gegeben. ― My wife gave me a new watch.Category:German terms with usage examples#GEBEN

2. (ditransitiveCategory:German ditransitive verbs#GEBEN) to hand, to pass, to put within reach [with dative ‘someone’ and accusative ‘something’]

   Gib mir das! ― Give me that!Category:German terms with usage examples#GEBEN

   Gib mir deine Hand. ― Give me your hand (to hold).Category:German terms with usage examples#GEBEN

   Könnten Sie mir den Stift geben? ― Could you hand me that pen?Category:German terms with usage examples#GEBEN

3. (impersonalCategory:German impersonal verbs#GEBEN, transitiveCategory:German transitive verbs#GEBEN) Used to indicate that something exists (often with a certain property and/or in a certain location). Usually translated as there is/are or there exist(s) [with accusative]

   Gibt es gute Schulen in der Nähe? ― Are there good schools in the neighborhood?Category:German terms with usage examples#GEBEN

   Es gibt kein Wasser in dieser Wüste. ― There is no water in this desert.Category:German terms with usage examples#GEBEN

   Das kann es nicht geben. ― This is nothing that could possibly exist.Category:German terms with usage examples#GEBEN

   • 2000, Eurobarometer: Public Opinion in the European Union, →ISBN, page 8:

     Es gibt eine europäische kulturelle Identität, die von allen Europäern geteilt wird.

     There is a European cultural identity, which is shared by all Europeans.

     Category:German terms with quotations#GEBEN

4. (ditransitiveCategory:German ditransitive verbs#GEBEN, transitiveCategory:German transitive verbs#GEBEN) to communicate (helpful information such as a hint or advice), to signal (in a certain way such as a sign)

   Darf ich dir einen Rat geben? ― May I give you some advice?Category:German terms with usage examples#GEBEN

   Der Spieler gab ein Signal, dass er eingewechselt werden wollte. ― The player gave a signal that he wanted to be substituted.Category:German terms with usage examples#GEBEN

5. (transitiveCategory:German transitive verbs#GEBEN) to present; to put
6. (transitiveCategory:German transitive verbs#GEBEN) to result in

   Synonym: ergeben

7. (uncommonCategory:German terms with uncommon senses#GEBEN) to think

Further reading

• “geben” in Duden online
• “geben”, in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache‎ (in German)
• “geben” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.

Alternative forms

• gegëben
• gēn (contraction)
• këben (Bavarian, rare)
• gëven (Central Franconian)

Etymology

Inherited from Old High German gëban, from Proto-West Germanic *geban, from Proto-Germanic *gebaną, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰebʰ-.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (before 13^th CE) /ˈɡɛbən/Category:Middle High German terms with IPA pronunciation#GEBEN

Verb

gëben (class 5 strong, third-person singular present gibet or gīt, past tense gap, past participle gegëben, past subjunctive gæbe, auxiliary hān)Category:Middle High German lemmas#GEBENCategory:Middle High German verbs#GEBENCategory:Middle High German strong verbs#GEBENCategory:Middle High German class 5 strong verbs#GEBENCategory:Middle High German verbs using hān as auxiliary#GEBENCategory:Middle High German entries with incorrect language header#GEBENCategory:Pages with entries#GEBENCategory:Pages with 3 entries#GEBEN

1. to give

References

• Benecke, Georg Friedrich; Müller, Wilhelm; Zarncke, Friedrich (1863), “gëben”, in Mittelhochdeutsches Wörterbuch: mit Benutzung des Nachlasses von Benecke, Stuttgart: S. Hirzel

Verb

gëbēnCategory:Old High German non-lemma forms#GEBENCategory:Old High German verb forms#GEBENCategory:Old High German entries with incorrect language header#GEBENCategory:Pages with entries#GEBENCategory:Pages with 3 entries#GEBEN

1. third-person plural present subjunctive of gëban