From Middle High German *bieten* ("to offer, command"), related to Old High German *biotan* and ultimately to Proto-Germanic *\*beudaną* ("to offer"). The separable prefix *an-* adds the sense of directing the offer toward a recipient — hence "to offer up to someone."

In German professional culture, *anbieten* is the standard verb for both personal gestures (offering a seat, a drink) and formal business contexts (offering a service or product). Note that *anbieten* is a separable verb: in a main clause, the prefix *an-* splits off to the end — "Ich biete dir Hilfe **an**" ("I offer you help"). False friend alert: English "to bid" is related historically, but *bieten* alone in modern German means "to bid/offer at auction" rather than everyday offering.