dar
to give
Meaning: "dar" expresses the action of giving, offering, or providing something to someone. It's used in many contexts, from physical giving to more abstract uses like giving advice or showing emotions.
Conjugation Type: Irregular (but regular in some tenses)
Key Usage Notes:
- Commonly used with indirect object pronouns (me, te, le, nos, os, les).
- Also used in idiomatic expressions (e.g., "dar miedo" = to scare).
Present Tense
| Subject | Conjugation | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | doy | Yo doy regalos. | I give gifts. |
| Tú | das | Tú das consejos. | You give advice. |
| Él/Ella/Ud. | da | Ella da clases. | She gives classes. |
| Nosotros | damos | Nosotros damos cenas. | We give dinners. |
| Vosotros | dais | Vosotros dais apoyo. | You all give support. |
| Ellos/Ellas/Uds. | dan | Ellos dan dinero. | They give money. |
- "dar" is highly irregular in the present tense for "yo" (doy).
Preterite Tense (Past Completed)
| Subject | Conjugation | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | di | Yo di un regalo. | I gave a gift. |
| Tú | diste | Tú diste tu opinión. | You gave your opinion. |
| Él/Ella/Ud. | dio | Él dio el informe. | He gave the report. |
| Nosotros | dimos | Nosotros dimos ayuda. | We gave help. |
| Vosotros | disteis | Vosotros disteis tiempo. | You all gave time. |
| Ellos/Ellas/Uds. | dieron | Ellos dieron ejemplos. | They gave examples. |
- "dar" also follows an irregular stem pattern in the preterite.
Common Expressions with "Dar"
- Dar la vuelta: To turn around
- Dar miedo/pena/alegría: To give fear/sadness/joy (i.e., to scare/move someone)
- Dar un paseo: To take a walk
dar: to give
A1 Spanish
The Spanish verb dar means "to give." It is an irregular verb used to express giving, offering, or providing something to someone in various contexts.
- Infinitive: dar
- Meaning: to give
- Type: Irregular verb
- Typical use: Physical giving, granting, or providing
Present of Dar
| Subject | Form | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | doy | Yo doy un regalo. | I give a gift. |
| Tú | das | Das mucho amor. | You give a lot of love. |
| Él/Ella/Ud | da | Ella da clases. | She gives classes. |
| Nosotros | damos | Damos apoyo. | We give support. |
| Vosotros | dais | Dais información. | You all give info. |
| Ellos/Uds | dan | Dan todo por ti. | They give everything. |
- Note: "dar" is irregular; "yo" form is "doy."
Preterite of Dar
| Subject | Form | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | di | Di mi opinión. | I gave my opinion. |
| Tú | diste | Diste tu número. | You gave your number. |
| Él/Ella/Ud | dio | Dio el regalo. | He/she gave the gift. |
| Nosotros | dimos | Dimos lo mejor. | We gave our best. |
| Vosotros | disteis | Disteis el dinero. | You all gave the money. |
| Ellos/Uds | dieron | Dieron instrucciones. | They gave instructions. |
- "dar" is highly irregular in preterite and doesn't take typical endings.
Indirect Objects with Dar
"Dar" is frequently used with indirect object pronouns to indicate to whom something is given:
| Pronoun | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| Me | Me das un café. | You give me a coffee. |
| Te | Te doy mis notas. | I give you my notes. |
| Le | Le da el paquete. | He gives him/her the package. |
| Nos | Nos dan regalos. | They give us gifts. |
| Os | Os doy la tarea. | I give you all the homework. |
| Les | Les dan órdenes. | They give them orders. |
Reflexive Use
Though less common, "dar" can be used reflexively to express emotions or reactions being "given" to oneself:
- Me doy cuenta. (I realize [lit. I give to myself an account].)
- Nos damos ánimo. (We encourage ourselves.)
Conclusion
Dar is an essential, highly irregular Spanish verb meaning “to give.”
- It’s used for both literal and figurative forms of giving.
- Key forms: doy (present yo), di (preterite yo).
- Always pair with indirect objects for “giving to someone.”