In 15 Seconds
- Standard way to say you are hosting a celebration.
- Uses the verb 'geben' (to give) instead of 'throw'.
- Appropriate for both casual and semi-formal social invitations.
Meaning
This is the most common way to say you are hosting a party. Instead of 'throwing' it like in English, you 'give' it to your friends.
Key Examples
3 of 6Telling a friend about your weekend
Ich gebe am Samstag eine Party in meiner neuen Wohnung.
I am giving a party at my new apartment on Saturday.
Inviting colleagues at the office
Wir geben eine kleine Party im Büro, um das Projekt zu feiern.
We are giving a small party in the office to celebrate the project.
Texting a group chat
Leute, ich gebe morgen spontan eine Party! Wer kommt?
Guys, I'm giving a spontaneous party tomorrow! Who's coming?
Cultural Background
In German-speaking cultures, the person celebrating (like a birthday boy or girl) is traditionally the host. This means they 'give' the party and often provide all food and drinks. It is a way of sharing one's luck or milestone with the community.
The Birthday Rule
In Germany, if you 'give' a party for your birthday, don't expect others to pay. You are the provider!
Don't 'Make' a Party
Avoid saying 'eine Party machen'. While people will understand you, it sounds a bit childish or non-native.
In 15 Seconds
- Standard way to say you are hosting a celebration.
- Uses the verb 'geben' (to give) instead of 'throw'.
- Appropriate for both casual and semi-formal social invitations.
What It Means
In German, you don't 'throw' a party (unless you're using slang). You 'give' one. It means you are the host. You provide the space, the drinks, and the music. It is a very active phrase. It implies you are the one in charge of the fun. If you say Ich gebe eine Party, you are the boss of the night.
How To Use It
The verb here is geben. You need to conjugate it based on who is hosting. For example, ich gebe, du gibst, or wir geben. The word Party is feminine, so it is always eine Party. You can add adjectives to describe it. Want a big party? Say eine große Party geben. Want a small one? Use eine kleine Party geben. It is simple and very effective.
When To Use It
Use this when you invite people over. It works for birthdays or housewarmings. It is perfect for telling your colleagues about your weekend plans. You can use it in a text message to your best friend. It also works in a formal email to your neighbors. It is a safe, all-purpose expression for any celebration. Use it when you want to sound like a natural speaker.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use this for a quiet dinner with one person. That would be zum Essen einladen. Avoid using it for very stiff, official ceremonies. For a wedding, Germans usually say eine Hochzeit feiern. Also, if you are just attending, don't use geben. Use auf eine Party gehen instead. If you 'give' it, you are paying for the beer! Don't accidentally volunteer to pay for everyone if you are just a guest.
Cultural Background
Germans take hosting seriously. If you 'give' a party, you are responsible for the 'Gemütlichkeit' (coziness). In Germany, the birthday person usually hosts. They provide the cake and the drinks. It is rare for friends to 'throw' a party for someone else. Giving a party is a gesture of generosity. It is a way to share your home and your time. It is a social contract of fun.
Common Variations
If you want to sound cooler, use eine Party schmeißen. This literally means 'to toss a party'. It is the direct equivalent of 'throwing a party'. For a more general celebration, use eine Feier geben. If you are just having a few drinks, you might say einen ausgeben. That means you are buying a round. But for a full event, eine Party geben remains the king of phrases.
Usage Notes
This phrase is perfectly safe for A2 learners. It follows standard SVO (Subject-Verb-Object) word order in simple sentences and uses a high-frequency verb.
The Birthday Rule
In Germany, if you 'give' a party for your birthday, don't expect others to pay. You are the provider!
Don't 'Make' a Party
Avoid saying 'eine Party machen'. While people will understand you, it sounds a bit childish or non-native.
The Neighbor Note
If you give a party in an apartment, it's a cultural 'must' to hang a note in the hallway informing neighbors.
Examples
6Ich gebe am Samstag eine Party in meiner neuen Wohnung.
I am giving a party at my new apartment on Saturday.
A classic way to announce a housewarming.
Wir geben eine kleine Party im Büro, um das Projekt zu feiern.
We are giving a small party in the office to celebrate the project.
Professional but warm enough for a workplace setting.
Leute, ich gebe morgen spontan eine Party! Wer kommt?
Guys, I'm giving a spontaneous party tomorrow! Who's coming?
Short, direct, and perfect for digital messaging.
Darf ich zu meinem Geburtstag eine Party geben?
May I give a party for my birthday?
Asking for permission using the standard phrase.
Ich gebe eine Party, aber es passen nur zwei Leute rein.
I'm giving a party, but only two people fit inside.
Using the phrase to make a self-deprecating joke.
Wir geben eine Party und hoffen, dass es nicht zu laut wird.
We are giving a party and hope it won't be too loud.
A polite way to warn neighbors about potential noise.
Test Yourself
Fill in the correct form of the verb 'geben'.
Wir ___ am Freitag eine große Party.
Since the subject is 'wir' (we), the verb must be 'geben'.
Choose the correct article for 'Party'.
Ich möchte ___ Party geben.
'Party' is a feminine noun in German, so it takes 'eine' in the accusative case.
🎉 Score: /2
Visual Learning Aids
Formality of Hosting Phrases
Very casual, used with close friends.
eine Party schmeißen
The standard way to say it in any context.
eine Party geben
Used for official events or ceremonies.
einen Empfang geben
When to say 'eine Party geben'
Birthday
Ich gebe eine Geburtstagsparty.
New Home
Wir geben eine Einweihungsparty.
Office Success
Die Firma gibt eine Party.
Summer BBQ
Wir geben eine Gartenparty.
Practice Bank
2 exercisesWir ___ am Freitag eine große Party.
Since the subject is 'wir' (we), the verb must be 'geben'.
Ich möchte ___ Party geben.
'Party' is a feminine noun in German, so it takes 'eine' in the accusative case.
🎉 Score: /2
Frequently Asked Questions
12 questionsYou can, but it sounds very informal and slightly unpolished. eine Party geben is much more common and sounds better.
It is neutral. You can use it with your boss or your best friend without any issues.
geben is standard and safe. schmeißen is slang, similar to 'throwing' a party in English.
You usually use am for the day, like am Samstag eine Party geben. Use in for the location, like in meinem Garten.
You would say Ich bin zu einer Party eingeladen. You don't use 'geben' if you aren't the host.
Yes, it is a loanword from English. It is very common, though the older word Feier is also used.
Usually, for a wedding, you say eine Hochzeit feiern. eine Party geben sounds a bit too casual for a marriage ceremony.
Then it's better to say Gäste zum Essen haben or eine Einladung zum Abendessen.
Yes, just conjugate the verb. For example, Wir geben eine Party or Meine Eltern geben eine Party.
Yes, you can say Partys geben if you host them often. For example, Er gibt gerne Partys.
It is a cocktail-style party where people stand. You can also 'give' a Stehparty.
Yes, eine Party veranstalten is more formal. It sounds like you are organizing a public event or a large gala.
Related Phrases
eine Party schmeißen (to throw a party - slang)
eine Feier ausrichten (to host a celebration - formal)
Gäste einladen (to invite guests)
einen ausgeben (to buy a round of drinks)
auf eine Party gehen (to go to a party)
