daba
“daba” means “I used to give” in Spanish (Past habitual action (Yo)).
I used to give, he/she/it was giving, you used to give
Also: I would give, I was hitting/facing
📝 In Action
Cuando era niño, mi abuela me daba caramelos.
A2When I was little, my grandmother used to give me candies.
Él siempre daba las gracias al camarero.
A2He always gave thanks to the waiter.
Yo le daba dinero cada semana para el autobús.
A1I was giving him money every week for the bus.
La ventana daba a un hermoso jardín.
B1The window faced (gave onto) a beautiful garden.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: daba
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'daba' to describe a repeated action in the past?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The verb 'dar' comes directly from the Latin verb *dare*, which means 'to give.' The imperfect ending -aba is the standard ending for most -ar verbs in Spanish.
First recorded: Before the 10th century (as *dar* in early Romance languages)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if 'daba' means 'I gave' or 'he/she gave'?
You need context! Because the 'yo' (I) form and the 'él/ella/usted' (he/she/you formal) form are the same, Spanish speakers usually include the subject (Yo, Él, Ella) or rely on the surrounding sentences to clarify who the giver is.
Is 'daba' a regular verb form?
No. While most -ar verbs have regular imperfect forms, 'dar' is one of the three irregular verbs in the imperfect tense. The form 'daba' is unique and must be memorized.