Mitgegeben

Mitgegeben is a German word that functions primarily as a past participle of the verb mitgeben. The verb mitgeben means “to give along, to provide, to leave behind, or to transmit information.” When used as a participle, mitgegeben can serve as an adjective or part of a passive construction. In everyday language, it often describes something that has been included, provided, or noticed.

For example, one might say, “Der Bericht ist mir mitgegeben worden,” meaning “The report has been given to me.” As an adjective, it can describe information that is obvious or has been conveyed. In this sense, “mitgegeben” is similar to English terms such as “obvious” or “taken for granted.” In idiomatic usage, people say, “Das war mir etwas mitgegeben,” implying that something was assumed or expected.

Etymologically, the word is composed of the preposition mit (“with”) and the verb geben (“to give”), reflecting its original sense of giving something to someone. Variants include the short form mitgeschenkt (“gifted”) in some contexts.

In linguistics, mitgegeben is sometimes cited in discussions of German participles and their adjectival uses. It illustrates how participles can evolve from literal actions to state descriptions, a process common in many Indo‑European languages.

Overall, mitgegeben encapsulates both the physical act of giving and the abstract notion of information or expectations that are assumed or passed along.