bieten

Bieten is a German verb meaning to offer or to present something to someone, to provide, or in auctions to bid. It also appears in the impersonal construction es bietet sich, meaning that an opportunity presents itself; the reflexive form sich bieten describes opportunities, as in Eine Chance bietet sich.

Bieten is a strong verb with the following present and past forms. Present: ich biete, du bietest, er bietet, wir bieten, ihr bietet, sie bieten. Preterite: ich bot, du botest, er bot, wir boten, ihr botet, sie boten. Past participle: geboten. Auxiliary: haben.

Usage is versatile. With a direct object, it can mean to offer something to someone: Der Händler bietet dem Kunden verschiedene Modelle an; Ich biete dir einen Kaffee. It also appears in the impersonal construction Es bietet sich eine Gelegenheit. In auctions, passive patterns such as Es wird viel geboten are common, meaning much is bid. The related verb anbieten means to offer something explicitly, often with an infinitive or a sharp focus on the act of giving. The phrase sich etwas bieten highlights opportunities presenting themselves rather than a concrete exchange.

Etymology and related forms: the verb is of Germanic origin and is cognate with Dutch bieden and English bid, reflecting the core sense of offering or presenting. In modern German, bieten remains widely used in everyday, business, and formal language to describe offering goods, services, or opportunities.