daño
“daño” means “damage” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
damage, harm
Also: injury, loss
📝 In Action
La tormenta causó mucho daño a los cultivos.
B1The storm caused a lot of damage to the crops.
Fumar hace daño a la salud.
A2Smoking does harm to your health.
El coche sufrió daños leves en el accidente.
B1The car suffered minor damage in the accident.
I damage, I harm
Also: I hurt
📝 In Action
Si no tengo cuidado con el martillo, daño la pared.
B1If I'm not careful with the hammer, I damage the wall.
No quiero decirte esto porque sé que te daño.
B2I don't want to tell you this because I know I hurt you.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: daño
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'daño' to talk about something being harmful?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'damnum', which meant 'loss, harm, or a fine'. This ancient root connects it to English words like 'damage', 'damn', and 'indemnity'.
First recorded: 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'daño' and 'lesión'?
They are very similar! 'Daño' is more general and can refer to any kind of harm or damage, to a person or an object. 'Lesión' almost always refers to a physical injury on a person or animal's body, like a cut or a sprain.
Can I say 'Mi corazón tiene daño' for a broken heart?
While people would understand you, it sounds a bit clinical. It's much more common and natural to say 'Tengo el corazón roto' (I have a broken heart) or talk about 'daño emocional' (emotional harm).