da

/da/

he/she gives

A smiling woman handing a bright red apple to a child, illustrating the action of 'he/she gives'.

Da (he/she/it gives): She gives the apple to the child.

da(Verb)

A1irregular ar
he/she gives?action of giving something,it gives?an object or situation provides something,you give?formal 'you' (usted)
Also:he/she provides?offering something needed,it overlooks?e.g., a window facing the street,it produces?e.g., a tree produces fruit

📝 In Action

Ella siempre me da buenos consejos.

A1

She always gives me good advice.

Mi ventana da a la calle principal.

B1

My window overlooks the main street.

El sol da luz y calor.

A2

The sun gives light and heat.

¿Usted da clases los sábados?

A2

Do you (formal) teach classes on Saturdays?

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • ofrece (he/she offers)
  • entrega (he/she hands over)
  • proporciona (he/she provides)

Antonyms

  • recibe (he/she receives)
  • quita (he/she takes away)

Common Collocations

  • da un paseohe/she takes a walk
  • da miedoit's scary
  • da igualit doesn't matter

Idioms & Expressions

  • me da igualI don't care / It's all the same to me.
  • le da porhe/she gets the urge to / suddenly starts to

💡 Grammar Points

Who is 'da' for?

'Da' is the form of the verb 'dar' (to give) you use for a single person or thing: 'he', 'she', 'it', or the formal 'you' (usted). Example: 'El sol da calor' (The sun gives heat).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Mixing up 'da' and 'das'

Mistake: "Mi amigo das buenos consejos."

Correction: Mi amigo da buenos consejos. Remember: 'das' with an 's' is for 'tú' (you, informal). 'Da' without an 's' is for he, she, it, or the formal you.

⭐ Usage Tips

More than just 'giving'

Spanish uses 'da' in many expressions where English uses a different verb. For example, 'me da miedo' means 'it scares me' (literally, 'it gives me fear'), and 'da a la calle' means 'it faces the street'.

A close-up of two hands, where one hand is urgently reaching out to receive a small object held by the second hand, representing the command 'give'.

Da (give!): This image depicts the informal command 'give' (tú command).

da(Verb)

A2irregular ar
give?as a command (informal 'you')
Also:hand over?as a command

📝 In Action

¡Da un paso adelante!

A2

Take one step forward!

Por favor, da de comer al perro.

B1

Please, feed the dog.

¡Dámelo!

A2

Give it to me!

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • entrega (hand over (command))
  • pasa (pass (command))

Antonyms

  • toma (take (command))
  • recibe (receive (command))

Common Collocations

  • da un besogive a kiss
  • da un abrazogive a hug

💡 Grammar Points

Giving a Command to 'Tú'

'Da' is the short, direct command form you use with 'tú' (the informal 'you'). It's how you tell a friend to 'give' something. Example: '¡Da las gracias!' (Say thank you!).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Command vs. Statement

Mistake: "Tú da el libro."

Correction: For a command, just say '¡Da el libro!'. For a statement describing an action, you need the 's': 'Tú das el libro' (You give the book).

⭐ Usage Tips

Attaching Words to Commands

When telling someone to give something to someone or to give it, you attach those little words right to the end of 'da'. For example, 'da' + 'me' + 'lo' becomes 'dámelo' (give it to me). Notice the accent mark that gets added to keep the stress in the right place!

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

yodoy
das
él/ella/ustedda
nosotrosdamos
vosotrosdais
ellos/ellas/ustedesdan

preterite

yodi
diste
él/ella/usteddio
nosotrosdimos
vosotrosdisteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesdieron

imperfect

yodaba
dabas
él/ella/usteddaba
nosotrosdábamos
vosotrosdabais
ellos/ellas/ustedesdaban

subjunctive

present

yo
des
él/ella/usted
nosotrosdemos
vosotrosdeis
ellos/ellas/ustedesden

imperfect

yodiera
dieras
él/ella/usteddiera
nosotrosdiéramos
vosotrosdierais
ellos/ellas/ustedesdieran

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: da

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence is a command telling a friend to do something?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'da' and 'dé'?

'Da' is the informal command you use with 'tú' (a friend, family member). '¡Da!' means 'Give!'. 'Dé' (with an accent) is the formal command you use with 'usted' (a stranger, a boss). It's also a special form used for wishes and doubts, like in 'Espero que me dé el libro' (I hope he gives me the book).

Why is 'da' used in 'me da miedo'?

In Spanish, many feelings and sensations are expressed as something that 'gives' you that feeling. So, 'it gives me fear' (me da miedo) is the natural way to say 'it scares me'. You'll see this with other words too, like 'me da hambre' (it makes me hungry) or 'me da pena' (it makes me sad/embarrassed).