géif + Infinitive
Would: Géif + Infinitive
Géif + infinitive means would: Ech géif gär matkommen (I would like to come along), Wat géifs du maachen? (What would you do?).
How It Works
1. The forms
Géif is the conditional of ginn. You will also hear géing (from goen) with exactly the same meaning.
- ech géif, du géifs, hie/hatt géif
- mir géifen, dir géift, si géifen
The plural follows the n-rule: mir géifen och, but mir géife gär.
2. Word order
Géif takes second place, and the main verb goes to the end as an infinitive: Ech géif gär matkommen. A separable verb stays joined at the end (matkommen). In a question, géif comes first: Géifs du mir hëllefen?
3. What it is used for
- Wishes, with gär: Ech géif gär Lëtzebuergesch léieren. (I would like to learn Luxembourgish.)
- Imagined situations: Wat géifs du maachen? (What would you do?)
- Polite requests: Géift Dir mir wannechgelift hëllefen? (Would you please help me?) See Polite Conditional.
- Advice: Ech géif dat net maachen. (I would not do that.)
4. When to use a one-word form instead
Sinn and hunn have their own conditional forms, wier and hätt, and those are what people normally say: Dat wier flott (That would be great). The modal verbs also have one-word forms such as kéint and misst. A few other common verbs have them too, but géif with an infinitive is always correct for them. See One-Word Conditionals.
5. In conditions
Géif usually sits in the main clause of an imagined condition: Wann ech Zäit hätt, géif ech méi reesen. See Unreal Conditions.
Examples (6)
- Ech géif gär matkommen.
I would like to come along.
Géif with gär expresses a wish. The separable verb matkommen stays whole at the end.
- Wat géifs du maachen?
What would you do?
The du form ends in -s: du géifs.
- Géift Dir mir wannechgelift hëllefen?
Would you please help me?
Starting with géift makes a polite request. The polite Dir takes the -t form.
- Mir géifen och gär e Stéck Kuch iessen.
We would also like to eat a piece of cake.
Géifen keeps its n before the vowel of och.
- Hie géif ni léien.
He would never lie.
- Si géife léiwer doheem bleiwen.
They would rather stay at home.
Géifen loses its n before l by the n-rule.
Common Mistakes
Leaving the -s off the du form.
Du géif dat net maachen.Du géifs dat net maachen.The du form of géif ends in -s, as in most verbs: du géifs.
Conjugating the second verb too.
Wat géifs du maachs?Wat géifs du maachen?Only géif changes for the person. The main verb stays in the infinitive at the end.
Splitting a separable verb after géif.
Ech géif gär komme mat.Ech géif gär matkommen.The main verb is an infinitive at the end, so the prefix stays attached: matkommen.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before Would: Géif + Infinitive, learn I Would Like: Ech hätt gär and Modal Verb and Infinitive.
Related Patterns
- wier / hättWould Be and Would Have: Wier and Hätt
Sinn and hunn use their own one-word forms instead of géif.
Level 3 - Could, Should, Would Have To
The modal verbs also have one-word conditional forms.
Level 3 - Unreal Conditions: wann ... géif
Géif appears in the main clause of imagined conditions.
Level 3 - Polite Conditional: Ech hätt eng Fro
Géift Dir ... is a common polite question.
Level 3 - One-Word Conditionals: kéim / géing / wéisstOne-Word Conditionals: Kéim, Géing, Wéisst
Some common verbs have a one-word form besides géif.
Level 4
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice géif + Infinitive in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Luxembourgish lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
