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How to Say ‘I'm doing my best.’ in German

Ich gebe mein Bestes.

ikh GAY-buh mine BES-tuhs

[ikh GAY-buh mine BES-tuhs]

💬 Usage Tip: [sein Bestes geben] is a fixed German way to say "do one's best," not literally just "give one's best." Swap the owner word as needed: [ich gebe mein Bestes], [sie gibt ihr Bestes].

Phrase Breakdown

Ich gebe

ikh GAY-buh

I give / I’m giving

Verb phrase introducing the idiomatic expression mein Bestes geben.

Example

Ich gebe dir eine Antwort.

I give you an answer.

Words in this phrase

Ich

[ikh]

I

First-person singular subject pronoun.

Example

Ich gebe mein Bestes, auch wenn meine Anmachsprüche noch Training brauchen.

I'm doing my best, even if my pickup lines still need practice.

gebe

[GAY-buh]

give

Verb used here in the idiom 'mein Bestes geben' = 'to do my best'.

Example

Ich gebe mein Bestes, also sei nicht zu streng mit mir.

I'm doing my best, so don't be too hard on me.

Mein Bestes.

mine BES-tuhs

my best

Fixed expression meaning to do everything possible or to try as hard as one can.

Example

Ich gebe mein Bestes.

I’m doing my best.

Words in this phrase

mein

[mine]

my

Shows possession by the speaker.

Example

Ich gebe mein Bestes, nicht nur mein zweitbestes.

I'm giving my best, not just my second-best.

Bestes

[BES-tuhs]

best

Means one's fullest effort.

Example

Ich gebe mein Bestes, aber dein Blick macht es spannend.

I'm doing my best, but your look makes it interesting.

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