给【gěi】

给 as a verb means "give". It takes two objects in a row: the person, then the thing.

The recipient comes straight after 给. English can say "give a book to you"; with 给 the thing never goes first.

• × 我给一本书你 → 我给你一本书

不给 is a refusal; 没给 says the giving didn't happen.

给 before another verb

In front of a verb, 给 marks who the action is done for or to. 给 + person goes before the verb, not at the end of the sentence as "for him" does in English.

wǒ我dǎ diàn huà打电话gěi给nǐ你 is also heard, especially in the south, but 给你打电话 is the pattern to learn first.

给 after the verb

Some verbs take 给 straight after them: 送给, 卖给, 还给, 借给. The recipient follows, and the thing usually moves in front with 把 or goes last.

给我 on its own is an instruction to hand something over, and sounds abrupt without 请.