Give vs. Giving — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Fiza Rafique — Updated on April 23, 2024
"Give" is a verb that denotes the act of presenting or providing something, while "giving" serves as the present participle of "give" or as a noun describing the act or process of donation.
Difference Between Give and Giving
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
"Give" is a verb used to describe the action of providing, donating, or transferring something from one person to another. On the other hand, "giving" can function as the present participle of "give," used to describe the ongoing action of providing or donating.
While "give" is the base form used in various tenses and grammatical structures, "giving" as a noun encapsulates the broader concept or process of donation, often associated with generosity or philanthropy.
Give is employed in direct statements or commands, such as in imperatives, "giving" as a gerund is often used to discuss the idea of generosity in more abstract or philosophical terms.
Give can be adapted to fit various grammatical structures by conjugation, while "giving" remains constant as either a participle or a noun.
Comparison Chart
Grammatical Form
Verb (base form).
Present participle or noun.
ADVERTISEMENT
Usage
Direct actions and commands.
Describes ongoing actions or conceptual acts.
Context
Used in various tenses and structures.
Often used in discussions of generosity.
Examples
"Give me the book."
"She is giving him advice."
Conceptual Use
Less abstract, more direct.
More abstract, often philosophical.
Compare with Definitions
Give
To make a present of.
I will give you my old laptop.
Giving
The action of someone or something that gives something else.
Giving advice is easier than taking it.
Give
To perform or execute (a gesture or action).
He gave a nod in agreement.
Giving
In the process of transferring or providing something.
They are giving out samples in the store.
Give
To administer or apply.
The doctor will give you the injection now.
Giving
Characterized by generosity.
She is known for her giving nature.
Give
To offer or provide freely.
They give free meals at the shelter.
Giving
Refers to allowing or conceding something.
Giving in to demands can sometimes be necessary.
Give
To yield or produce by natural process.
That tree gives more fruit each year.
Giving
To make a present of
We gave her flowers for her birthday.
Give
Freely transfer the possession of (something) to (someone)
He gave the papers back
The cheque given to the jeweller proved worthless
She gave him presents and clothes
Giving
To place in the hands of; pass
Give me the scissors.
Give
Cause or allow (someone or something) to have or experience (something); provide with
You gave me such a fright
This leaflet gives our opening times
Giving
To deliver in exchange or recompense; pay
Gave five dollars for the book.
Give
Carry out or perform (a specified action)
He gave the counter a polish
I gave a bow
Giving
To let go for a price; sell
Gave the used car away for two thousand dollars.
Give
Yield as a product or result
Milk is sometimes added to give a richer cheese
Giving
To administer
Give him some cough medicine.
Give
Concede (something) as valid or deserved in respect of (someone)
Give him his due
Giving
To convey by a physical action
Gave me a punch in the nose.
Give
State or put forward (information or argument)
He did not give his name
Giving
To inflict as punishment
Was given life imprisonment for the crime.
Give
Alter in shape under pressure rather than resist or break
That chair doesn't give
Giving
To bestow, especially officially; confer
The Bill of Rights gives us freedom of speech.
Give
Capacity to bend or alter in shape under pressure
Plastic pots that have enough give to accommodate the vigorous roots
Giving
To accord or tender to another
Give him your confidence.
Give
To make a present of
We gave her flowers for her birthday.
Giving
To put temporarily at the disposal of
Gave them the cottage for a week.
Give
To place in the hands of; pass
Give me the scissors.
Giving
To entrust to another, usually for a specified reason
Gave me the keys for safekeeping.
Give
To deliver in exchange or recompense; pay
Gave five dollars for the book.
Giving
To communicate, convey, or offer for conveyance
Give him my best wishes. Give us the latest news.
Give
To let go for a price; sell
Gave the used car away for two thousand dollars.
Giving
To endure the loss of; sacrifice
Gave her son to the war.
Gave her life for her country.
Give
To administer
Give him some cough medicine.
Giving
To devote or apply completely
Gives herself to her work.
Give
To convey by a physical action
Gave me a punch in the nose.
Giving
To furnish or contribute
Gave their time to help others.
Give
To inflict as punishment
Was given life imprisonment for the crime.
Giving
To offer in good faith; pledge
Give me your word.
Give
To bestow, especially officially; confer
The Bill of Rights gives us freedom of speech.
Giving
To allot as a portion or share.
Give
To accord or tender to another
Give him your confidence.
Giving
To bestow (a name, for example).
Give
To put temporarily at the disposal of
Gave them the cottage for a week.
Giving
To attribute (blame, for example) to someone; assign.
Give
To entrust to another, usually for a specified reason
Gave me the keys for safekeeping.
Giving
To award as due
Gave us first prize.
Give
To communicate, convey, or offer for conveyance
Give him my best wishes. Give us the latest news.
Giving
To emit or utter
Gave a groan.
Gave a muted response.
Give
To endure the loss of; sacrifice
Gave her son to the war.
Gave her life for her country.
Giving
To submit for consideration, acceptance, or use
Give an opinion.
Give an excuse.
Give
To devote or apply completely
Gives herself to her work.
Giving
To proffer to another
Gave the toddler my hand.
Give
To furnish or contribute
Gave their time to help others.
Giving
To perform for an audience
Give a recital.
Give
To offer in good faith; pledge
Give me your word.
Giving
To present to view
Gave the sign to begin.
Give
To allot as a portion or share.
Giving
To offer as entertainment
Give a dinner party.
Give
To bestow (a name, for example).
Giving
To propose as a toast.
Give
To attribute (blame, for example) to someone; assign.
Giving
To be a source of; afford
His remark gave offense. Music gives her pleasure.
Give
To award as due
Gave us first prize.
Giving
To cause to catch or be subject to (a disease or bodily condition)
The draft gave me a cold.
Give
To emit or utter
Gave a groan.
Gave a muted response.
Giving
To guide or direct, as by persuasion or behavior. Used with an infinitive phrase
You gave me to imagine you approved of my report.
Give
To submit for consideration, acceptance, or use
Give an opinion.
Give an excuse.
Giving
To yield or produce
Cows give milk.
Give
To proffer to another
Gave the toddler my hand.
Giving
To bring forth or bear
Trees that give fruit.
Give
To perform for an audience
Give a recital.
Giving
To produce as a result of calculation
5 × 12 gives 60.
Give
To present to view
Gave the sign to begin.
Giving
To manifest or show
Gives promise of brilliance.
Gave evidence of tampering.
Give
To offer as entertainment
Give a dinner party.
Giving
To carry out (a physical movement)
Give a wink.
Give a start.
Give
To propose as a toast.
Giving
To permit one to have or take
Gave us an hour to finish.
Give
To be a source of; afford
His remark gave offense. Music gives her pleasure.
Giving
To take an interest to the extent of
"My dear, I don't give a damn" (Margaret Mitchell).
Give
To cause to catch or be subject to (a disease or bodily condition)
The draft gave me a cold.
Giving
To make gifts or donations
Gives generously to charity.
Give
To guide or direct, as by persuasion or behavior. Used with an infinitive phrase
You gave me to imagine you approved of my report.
Giving
To yield to physical force
The sail gave during the storm.
Give
To yield or produce
Cows give milk.
Giving
To collapse from force or pressure
The roof gave under the weight of the snow.
Give
To bring forth or bear
Trees that give fruit.
Giving
To yield to change
Both sides will have to give on some issues.
Give
To produce as a result of calculation
5 × 12 gives 60.
Giving
To afford access or a view; open
The doors give onto a terrace.
Give
To manifest or show
Gives promise of brilliance.
Gave evidence of tampering.
Giving
(Slang) To be in progress; happen
What gives?.
Give
To carry out (a physical movement)
Give a wink.
Give a start.
Giving
Capacity or inclination to yield under pressure.
Give
To permit one to have or take
Gave us an hour to finish.
Giving
The quality or condition of resilience; springiness
"Fruits that have some give ... will have more juice than hard ones" (Elizabeth Schneider).
Give
To take an interest to the extent of
"My dear, I don't give a damn" (Margaret Mitchell).
Giving
Present participle of give
Give
To make gifts or donations
Gives generously to charity.
Giving
Having the tendency to give; generous
Give
To yield to physical force
The sail gave during the storm.
Giving
The act of bestowing as a gift; a conferring or imparting.
Give
To collapse from force or pressure
The roof gave under the weight of the snow.
Giving
A gift; a benefaction.
Give
To yield to change
Both sides will have to give on some issues.
Giving
The act of softening, breaking, or yielding.
Give
To afford access or a view; open
The doors give onto a terrace.
Giving
The act of bestowing as a gift; a conferring or imparting.
Give
(Slang) To be in progress; happen
What gives?.
Giving
A gift; a benefaction.
Give
Capacity or inclination to yield under pressure.
Giving
The act of softening, breaking, or yielding.
His givings out were of an infinite distanceFrom his true meant design.
Give
The quality or condition of resilience; springiness
"Fruits that have some give ... will have more juice than hard ones" (Elizabeth Schneider).
Giving
The act of giving
Give
(ditransitive) To move, shift, provide something abstract or concrete to someone or something or somewhere.
Giving
The imparting of news or promises etc.;
He gave us the news and made a great show of the giving
Giving his word of honor seemed to come too easily
Give
To transfer one's possession or holding of (something) to (someone).
I gave him my coat.
I gave my coat to the beggar.
When they asked, I gave my coat.
Giving
Disposing of property by voluntary transfer without receiving value in return;
The alumni followed a program of annual giving
Give
To make a present or gift of.
I'm going to give my wife a necklace for her birthday.
She gave a pair of shoes to her husband for their anniversary.
He gives of his energies to the organization.
Giving
Given or giving freely;
Was a big tipper
The bounteous goodness of God
Bountiful compliments
A freehanded host
A handsome allowance
Saturday's child is loving and giving
A liberal backer of the arts
A munificent gift
Her fond and openhanded grandfather
Give
To pledge.
I gave him my word that I'd protect his children.
Give
To provide (something) to (someone), to allow or afford.
I gave them permission to miss tomorrow's class.
Please give me some more time.
Give
To cause (a sensation or feeling) to exist in.
It gives me a lot of pleasure to be here tonight.
The fence gave me an electric shock.
My mother-in-law gives me nothing but grief.
Give
To carry out (a physical interaction) with (something).
I want to give you a kiss.
She gave him a hug.
I'd like to give the tire a kick.
I gave the boy a push on the swing.
She gave me a wink afterwards, so I knew she was joking.
Give
To pass (something) into (someone's hand, etc.).
Give me your hand.
On entering the house, he gave his coat to the doorman.
Give
To cause (a disease or condition) in, or to transmit (a disease or condition) to.
My boyfriend gave me chlamydia.
He was convinced that it was his alcoholism that gave him cancer.
Give
(transitive) To provide, as, a service or a broadcast.
They're giving my favorite show!
Give
(ditransitive) To estimate or predict (a duration or probability) for (something).
I give it ten minutes before he gives up.
I give it a 95% chance of success.
I'll give their marriage six months.
Give
(intransitive) To yield or collapse under pressure or force.
One pillar gave, then more, and suddenly the whole floor pancaked onto the floor below.
Give
(intransitive) To lead (onto or into).
The master bedroom gives onto a spacious balcony.
Give
To provide a view of.
His window gave the park.
Give
To exhibit as a product or result; to produce; to yield.
The number of men, divided by the number of ships, gives four hundred to each ship.
Give
To cause; to make; used with the infinitive.
Give
To cause (someone) to have; produce in (someone); effectuate.
Give
To allow or admit by way of supposition; to concede.
He can be bad-tempered, I'll give you that, but he's a hard worker.
Give
To attribute; to assign; to adjudge.
Give
To communicate or announce (advice, tidings, etc.); to pronounce or utter (an opinion, a judgment, a shout, etc.).
The umpire finally gave his decision: the ball was out.
Give
To grant power, permission, destiny, etc. (especially to a person); to allot; to allow.
Give
(reflexive) To devote or apply (oneself).
The soldiers give themselves to plunder.
That boy is given to fits of bad temper.
Give
(obsolete) To become soft or moist.
Give
(obsolete) To shed tears; to weep.
Give
(obsolete) To have a misgiving.
Give
(slang) To be going on, to be occurring; what gives?
Your outfit is giving!
Give
The amount of bending that something undergoes when a force is applied to it; a tendency to yield under pressure; resilence.
This chair doesn't have much give.
There is no give in his dogmatic religious beliefs.
Give
To bestow without receiving a return; to confer without compensation; to impart, as a possession; to grant, as authority or permission; to yield up or allow.
For generous lords had rather give than pay.
Give
To yield possesion of; to deliver over, as property, in exchange for something; to pay; as, we give the value of what we buy.
What shall a man give in exchange for his soul ?
Give
To yield; to furnish; to produce; to emit; as, flint and steel give sparks.
Give
To communicate or announce, as advice, tidings, etc.; to pronounce; to render or utter, as an opinion, a judgment, a sentence, a shout, etc.
Give
To grant power or license to; to permit; to allow; to license; to commission.
It is given me once again to behold my friend.
Then give thy friend to shed the sacred wine.
Give
To exhibit as a product or result; to produce; to show; as, the number of men, divided by the number of ships, gives four hundred to each ship.
Give
To devote; to apply; used reflexively, to devote or apply one's self; as, the soldiers give themselves to plunder; also in this sense used very frequently in the past participle; as, the people are given to luxury and pleasure; the youth is given to study.
Give
To set forth as a known quantity or a known relation, or as a premise from which to reason; - used principally in the passive form given.
Give
To allow or admit by way of supposition.
I give not heaven for lost.
Give
To attribute; to assign; to adjudge.
I don't wonder at people's giving him to me as a lover.
Give
To excite or cause to exist, as a sensation; as, to give offense; to give pleasure or pain.
Give
To pledge; as, to give one's word.
Give
To cause; to make; - with the infinitive; as, to give one to understand, to know, etc.
But there the duke was given to understandThat in a gondola were seen togetherLorenzo and his amorous Jessica.
Give
To afford a view of; as, his window gave the park.
Whatsoever we employ in charitable uses during our lives, is given away from ourselves.
I fear our ears have given us the bag.
One that gives out himself Prince Florizel.
Give out you are of Epidamnum.
The Babylonians had given themselves over to all manner of vice.
He has . . . given upFor certain drops of salt, your city Rome.
I'll not state themBy giving up their characters.
Give
To give a gift or gifts.
Give
To yield to force or pressure; to relax; to become less rigid; as, the earth gives under the feet.
Give
To become soft or moist.
Give
To move; to recede.
Now back he gives, then rushes on amain.
Give
To shed tears; to weep.
Whose eyes do never giveBut through lust and laughter.
Give
To have a misgiving.
My mind gives ye're reservedTo rob poor market women.
Give
To open; to lead.
This, yielding, gave into a grassy walk.
They gave back and came no farther.
The Scots battalion was enforced to give in.
This consideration may induce a translator to give in to those general phrases.
Rooms which gave upon a pillared porch.
The gloomy staircase on which the grating gave.
It would be well for all authors, if they knew when to give over, and to desist from any further pursuits after fame.
Give
The elasticity of something that can be stretched and returns to its original length
Give
Cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense;
She gave him a black eye
The draft gave me a cold
Give
Be the cause or source of;
He gave me a lot of trouble
Our meeting afforded much interesting information
Give
Transfer possession of something concrete or abstract to somebody;
I gave her my money
Can you give me lessons?
She gave the children lots of love and tender loving care
Give
Convey or reveal information;
Give one's name
Give
Convey, as of a compliment, regards, attention, etc.; bestow;
Don't pay him any mind
Give the orders
Give him my best regards
Pay attention
Give
Organize or be responsible for;
Hold a reception
Have, throw, or make a party
Give a course
Give
Convey or communicate; of a smile, a look, a physical gesture;
Throw a glance
She gave me a dirty look
Give
Give as a present; make a gift of;
What will you give her for her birthday?
Give
Bring about;
His two singles gave the team the victory
Give
Dedicate;
Give thought to
Give priority to
Pay attention to
Give
Give or supply;
The cow brings in 5 liters of milk
This year's crop yielded 1,000 bushels of corn
The estate renders some revenue for the family
Give
Tell or deposit (information) knowledge;
Give a secret to the Russians
Leave your name and address here
Give
Bring about;
The trompe l'oeil-illusion establishes depth
Give
Leave with; give temporarily;
Can I give you my keys while I go in the pool?
Can I give you the children for the weekend?
Give
Emit or utter;
Give a gulp
Give a yelp
Give
Endure the loss of;
He gave his life for his children
I gave two sons to the war
Give
Place into the hands or custody of;
Hand me the spoon, please
Turn the files over to me, please
He turned over the prisoner to his lawyers
Give
Give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause;
She committed herself to the work of God
Give one's talents to a good cause
Consecrate your life to the church
Give
Give (as medicine);
I gave him the drug
Give
Give or convey physically;
She gave him First Aid
I gave him a punch in the nose
Give
Bestow;
Give hommage
Render thanks
Give
Bestow, especially officially;
Grant a degree
Give a divorce
This bill grants us new rights
Give
Move in order to make room for someone for something;
The park gave way to a supermarket
`Move over,' he told the crowd
Give
Give food to;
Feed the starving children in India
Don't give the child this tough meat
Give
Contribute to some cause;
I gave at the office
Give
Break down, literally or metaphorically;
The wall collapsed
The business collapsed
The dam broke
The roof collapsed
The wall gave in
The roof finally gave under the weight of the ice
Give
Estimate the duration or outcome of something;
He gave the patient three months to live
I gave him a very good chance at success
Give
Execute and deliver;
Give bond
Give
Deliver in exchange or recompense;
I'll give you three books for four CDs
Give
Afford access to;
The door opens to the patio
The French doors give onto a terrace
Give
Present to view;
He gave the sign to start
Give
Perform for an audience;
Pollini is giving another concert in New York
Give
Be flexible under stress of physical force;
This material doesn't give
Give
Propose;
He gave the first of many toasts at the birthday party
Give
Legal use: accord by verdict;
Give a decision for the plaintiff
Give
Manifest or show;
This student gives promise of real creativity
The office gave evidence of tampering
Give
Offer in good faith;
He gave her his word
Give
Submit for consideration, judgment, or use;
Give one's opinion
Give an excuse
Give
Guide or direct, as by behavior of persuasion;
You gave me to think that you agreed with me
Give
Allow to have or take;
I give you two minutes to respond
Give
Inflict as a punishment;
She gave the boy a good spanking
The judge gave me 10 years
Give
Occur;
What gives?
Give
Proffer (a body part);
She gave her hand to her little sister
Common Curiosities
Can "give" and "giving" be used interchangeably?
No, they serve different grammatical purposes and contexts; "give" is a verb, and "giving" is either a participle or a noun.
How is "giving" used differently from "give"?
"Giving" can function as a present participle or a noun, focusing on the ongoing process of donation or the concept of generosity.
What are common phrases using "give"?
Common phrases include "give rise to," "give away," and "give up," each depicting different senses of the verb.
How does "giving" enhance descriptive writing?
"Giving" can add depth to descriptive writing by emphasizing the ongoing nature of an action or highlighting altruistic behaviors.
What is the grammatical function of "give"?
"Give" is a verb that can be used in multiple tenses and grammatical structures to denote the act of providing or transferring something.
What is the importance of using "give" correctly in a sentence?
Using "give" correctly ensures clear communication, particularly in directives or when indicating the transfer of items or ideas.
Are there any idiomatic expressions with "give"?
Yes, expressions like "give it your best shot" or "give someone a break" use "give" idiomatically to convey encouragement or leniency.
What is a synonym for "give" that reflects generosity?
A synonym could be "bestow," which also implies generously giving or conferring something valuable.
What does the noun form of "giving" imply?
The noun form of "giving" often refers to acts of charity or generosity, implying a positive, altruistic behavior.
How can understanding the difference between "give" and "giving" improve writing skills?
Recognizing their different uses helps in choosing the correct form based on the context and desired emphasis, enhancing clarity and effectiveness in skills improvement.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Final vs. Last
Next Comparison
Reproduction vs. CopyAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
