The German verb "geben" means "to give" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "geben" across all 7 tenses. New to German verbs? Start with the German verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "geben" in the Present Tense
Präsens Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | gebe |
| du | you (informal) | gibst |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | gibt |
| wir | we | geben |
| ihr | you all (informal) | gebt |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | geben |
Er gibt mir eine Antwort.
He gives me an answer.
How to Conjugate "geben" in the Simple Past Tense
Präteritum Completed actions in the past (written/formal)| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | gab |
| du | you (informal) | gabst |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | gab |
| wir | we | gaben |
| ihr | you all (informal) | gabt |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | gaben |
Er gab ihr einen Apfel.
He gave her an apple.
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Perfekt Completed actions (spoken German)| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | habe gegeben |
| du | you (informal) | hast gegeben |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hat gegeben |
| wir | we | haben gegeben |
| ihr | you all (informal) | habt gegeben |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | haben gegeben |
Er hat die Antwort gegeben.
He has given the answer.
How to Conjugate "geben" in the Past Perfect Tense
Plusquamperfekt Actions completed before another past action| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | hatte gegeben |
| du | you (informal) | hattest gegeben |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hatte gegeben |
| wir | we | hatten gegeben |
| ihr | you all (informal) | hattet gegeben |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | hatten gegeben |
Er hatte die Antwort gegeben.
He had given the answer.
How to Conjugate "geben" in the Future Tense
Futur I Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | werde geben |
| du | you (informal) | wirst geben |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | wird geben |
| wir | we | werden geben |
| ihr | you all (informal) | werdet geben |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | werden geben |
Er wird ihr eine Chance geben.
He will give her a chance.
How to Conjugate "geben" in the Subjunctive I Tense
Konjunktiv I Indirect speech and formal requests| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | gebe |
| du | you (informal) | gebest |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | gebe |
| wir | we | geben |
| ihr | you all (informal) | gebet |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | geben |
Er meint, er gebe es.
He thinks that he is giving it.
How to Conjugate "geben" in the Subjunctive II Tense
Konjunktiv II Hypothetical situations and polite requests| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | gäbe |
| du | you (informal) | gäbest |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | gäbe |
| wir | we | gäben |
| ihr | you all (informal) | gäbet |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | gäben |
Er gäbe ihr ein Geschenk.
He would give her a gift.
Frequently Asked Questions About "geben"
Is "geben" regular or irregular in German?
"Geben" is an irregular German verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "geben" mean in English?
The German verb "geben" means "to give" in English.
How do you conjugate "geben" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Präsens): ich → gebe, du → gibst, er/sie/es → gibt, wir → geben, ihr → gebt, sie/Sie → geben.
How many tenses does "geben" have in German?
"Geben" is conjugated across 7 tenses in German: Present, Simple Past, Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Future, Subjunctive I, Subjunctive II.
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