Level 2 · Elementary
Doing something for someone: 给
Subj. + 给 + Person + Verb · Traditional: Subj. + 給 + Person + Verb
给 (gěi) before a person marks who the action is directed at: 他给我打电话 "he calls me", 我想给妈妈买礼物 "I want to buy a gift for mom". The 给-phrase comes before the verb.
You'll also hear the receiver after the verb (打电话给我), which is common in Taiwan and southern China — both are understood everywhere. And 给 alone is simply the verb "to give": 请给我一杯水.
Examples
他给我打了一个电话。
他給我打了一個電話。
tā gěi wǒ dǎ le yī ge diàn huà
He gave me a call.
我想给妈妈买一个礼物。
我想給媽媽買一個禮物。
wǒ xiǎng gěi mā ma mǎi yī ge lǐ wù
I want to buy a gift for my mom.
老师给我们介绍了一个新朋友。
老師給我們介紹了一個新朋友。
lǎo shī gěi wǒ men jiè shào le yī ge xīn péng you
The teacher introduced a new friend to us.
请给我一杯水。
請給我一杯水。
qǐng gěi wǒ yī bēi shuǐ
Please give me a glass of water.
Related grammar points
Practice this pattern in graded stories like Grandpa Sets Off (Part 4), Checking into a Hotel (Part 1), The Red Ball inside the Literate Chinese app.
