vergeben

Vergeben is a German verb with two main meanings that share a common idea of transferring something from one party to another. The first sense is to forgive someone or to pardon a fault or offense. The second sense is to grant, award, or allocate something to someone, such as a prize, license, or position.

In the forgiveness sense, vergeben is transitive and typically used with both a direct object and a dative recipient: the thing forgiven and the person being forgiven. For example, one can say, Ich vergebe dir den Fehler, meaning I forgive you the fault. In everyday language, however, more common verbs for personal forgiveness are verzeihen or entschuldigen, while vergeben emphasizes the act of forgiving as a transaction between people.

In the sense of granting or awarding, vergeben describes the act of distributing something to someone. It can refer to awarding a grade, issuing a license, or allocating a job or prize. Examples include Die Lehrkraft hat dem Schüler eine Eins vergeben (the teacher awarded the student an A) and Die Stelle ist vergeben (the position has been filled). This use often appears in administrative or formal contexts.

Etymologically, vergeben derives from the verb geben (to give) with the prefix ver-, a productive combination in German that can indicate a change of state or a transfer. The past participle is vergeben, and the compound behaves like other verbs with this prefix in its conjugation.

See also: Vergebung (forgiveness) and verzeihen (to forgive). Vergeben is therefore a versatile term used in both interpersonal and institutional contexts, with nuances depending on whether a personal offense or a conveyed entitlement is involved.