give
gb/ɡˈɪv/ us/ɡˈɪv/
A1
English
~ 100
odaad, átad, ad, kelt, okoz, adományoz, felajánl, időt áldoz, megenged, engedélyez, engedélyt ad, tart, előad
VERB
A1
1
Usage pattern:
to give [something] to [someone]
She gave me the keys before leaving.
Indulás előtt odaadta nekem a kulcsokat.
Please give this letter to John when you see him.
Kérlek, add oda ezt a levelet Johnnak, amikor találkozol vele.
He gave the waiter his credit card.
I gave my sister a book for her birthday.
They gave the ball back to the other team.
Learner examples
Please give me the pen.
Kérlek, add ide a tollat.
I will give the book to you.
Odaadom neked a könyvet.
She gave him a cup of tea.
Give the money to your father.
Can you give me your phone number?
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'give' with 'lend' or 'pass'. 'Give' means to transfer possession, possibly permanently, while 'lend' means temporarily.
Meaning
to hand something to someone
Collocations
give a gift
|give a hand
|give directions
|give permission
|give a smile
Synonyms
hand (More specific to physically passing something directly to someone.)
Antonyms
take (Opposite direction of action; to receive instead of provide.)
Themes
daily life
|communication
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To put something in someone's hand or make them receive it.
To pass or deliver something to another person by hand or other means.
VERB
A2
2
Usage pattern:
to give [someone] [something abstract]
This medicine will give you relief from pain.
Ez a gyógyszer enyhíteni fogja a fájdalmadat.
Her words gave me hope.
A szavai reményt adtak nekem.
He gave me a headache with all his complaining.
The teacher gave the students extra time.
The news gave them reason to celebrate.
Learner examples
The book gave me new ideas.
A könyv új ötleteket adott nekem.
His joke gave me a big smile.
A vicce széles mosolyt csalt az arcomra.
This food can give you energy.
Her story gave us hope.
The rain gave us a cold.
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse 'give' when 'cause' or 'make' would be more natural in some contexts, e.g., 'It gave me happy' should be 'It made me happy.'
Meaning
to cause someone to have something non-physical
Collocations
give advice
|give hope
|give a headache
|give permission
|give confidence
Synonyms
grant (More formal; often used in legal or official contexts.)
Antonyms
deny (To refuse to allow or provide something non-physical.)
Themes
emotions
|health
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To make someone feel or have something that is not a thing you can touch.
To cause someone to experience, receive, or be affected by something that is not a tangible object, such as an emotion, illness, or opportunity.
VERB
A2
3
Usage pattern:
to give [something] to [someone/some group]
They gave a large sum to the charity.
Nagy összeget adományoztak a jótékonysági szervezetnek.
She gives her time to help at the shelter.
Az idejét arra áldozza, hogy segítsen a menhelyen.
Please give generously to those in need.
He gave his old clothes to the homeless.
We gave food and blankets after the storm.
Learner examples
We give food to poor people.
Ételt adományozunk rászorulóknak.
She gives money to the school.
Pénzt adományoz az iskolának.
They give help to sick people.
I will give my old shoes to my friend.
He gives blood every year.
Meaning
to donate or contribute something voluntarily
Collocations
give money
|give blood
|give time
|give help
Synonyms
donate (Specifically about giving for a charitable cause.)
Antonyms
withhold (To refuse to give or provide something.)
Themes
charity
|community
|finance
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To offer money, things, or help without asking for payment.
To provide money, goods, or time freely without expecting payment in return.
VERB
A2
4
Usage pattern:
to give [someone] permission/opportunity/rights
They gave us permission to enter the building.
Engedélyt adtak nekünk, hogy belépjünk az épületbe.
The teacher gave the students extra time for the test.
A tanár plusz időt adott a diákoknak a dolgozathoz.
My parents gave me the freedom to choose my career.
The manager gave her team access to new resources.
He gave them the chance to explain.
Learner examples
My boss gave me time off.
A főnököm szabadságot engedélyezett nekem.
She gave her son permission to go out.
Megengedte a fiának, hogy kimenjen.
The teacher gave us more time for the test.
They gave me a chance to speak.
He gave his friend access to his computer.
Meaning
to allow someone to do something
Collocations
give permission
|give rights
|give access
Synonyms
allow (General term for permitting; does not imply physical transfer.)
Antonyms
forbid (To refuse permission for something.)
Themes
authority
|rules
|core_vocabulary
|law
Definition
To say that someone can do or have something.
To permit someone to do or have something.
VERB
B1
5
Usage pattern:
to give [a performance/speech/etc.]
She gave a brilliant speech at the wedding.
Nagyszerű beszédet tartott az esküvőn.
The comedian gave a great performance last night.
A humorista tegnap este remek műsort adott.
He gave me a warm smile when he saw me.
They gave a demonstration of the new software.
He gave his opinion on the matter.
Learner examples
She gave a talk at school.
Előadást tartott az iskolában.
He gave a big smile.
Szélesen elmosolyodott.
They gave a show in the park.
I will give a speech tomorrow.
The teacher gave a lesson on animals.
Meaning
to produce or perform for someone’s benefit
Collocations
give a speech
|give a presentation
|give a smile
Synonyms
deliver (Often used formally for speeches and presentations.)
Themes
communication
|entertainment
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To do something like a talk, show, or smile for other people.
To perform an action such as speaking, showing, or entertaining for another person or group.
Grammar
Dictionary form
give
IPA
GB/ɡˈɪv/
US/ɡˈɪv/
Syllables & stress
give (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (give)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: give
- 3rd Person Singular: gives
- Present Participle: giving
- Past: gave
- Past Participle: given
Word family
Forms
gives
verb
giving
verb
gave
verb
given
verb
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
unforgivable
adjective B2
Advanced or less common
forgivable
adjective B2
Highlights
- Irregular past: gave Verb
- Irregular past participle: given Verb
Expressions
give in
1/ɡˈɪv ˈɪn/
phrasal verb
to agree after resisting or surrender control
To finally agree to what someone wants after saying no before, or to stop fighting against something.
Examples
- He finally gave in and let them go early.
- The rebels refused to give in without a fight.
give up
1/ɡˈɪv ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
to stop trying or quit doing something
To stop trying to do something because it is too hard or you cannot succeed.
Examples
- After several failed attempts, she decided to give up.
- Don't give up on your dreams.
give up
3/ɡˈɪv ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
quit or stop trying
To stop because something is too difficult, or to quit a habit or activity.
Examples
- Don’t give up—you’re almost finished.
- She gave up sugar for a month.
- He gave up on the puzzle after an hour.
Learner examples
- I won’t give up learning English.
- My father gave up smoking last year.
give away
1/ɡˈɪv əwˈeɪ/
phrasal verb
to hand over without payment or reveal unintentionally
To give something to someone without asking for money, or to tell a secret by accident.
Examples
- She gave away all her old clothes.
- They gave away free samples at the store.
- He smiled, which gave away how happy he was.
- He gave his old clothes away to charity.
give it a try
1/ɡˈɪv ˈɪt ə tɹˈaɪ/
fixed phrase
to attempt doing something once or briefly
To do something once to see if it works or if you like it.
Examples
- I’ve never played tennis before, but I’ll give it a try.
- I’ve never played tennis, but I’ll give it a try.
- Why not give it a try and see what happens?
- Why not give it a try and see?,
give someone a hand
1/ɡˈɪv sˈʌmwˌʌn ə hˈænd/
idiom
to help someone physically or practically
To help someone do something, especially by using your hands or physical effort.
Examples
- Could you give me a hand with these boxes?
- Could you give me a hand with these dishes?
- She always gives her neighbors a hand when they need it.
- She gave him a hand carrying the boxes.