dando
“dando” means “giving” in Spanish (as in, currently giving).
📝 In Action
Mi hermana está dando un discurso muy importante.
A1My sister is giving a very important speech.
Están dando el premio al mejor estudiante en este momento.
A2They are giving the award to the best student right now.
El sol estaba dando directamente en mis ojos, no podía ver.
B1The sun was shining (giving) directly into my eyes, I couldn't see.
Llevamos tres horas caminando y nos está dando mucha sed.
B2We've been walking for three hours and we are getting very thirsty (it is causing us thirst).
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: dando
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'dando' to express an action happening right now?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes directly from the Latin verb *dare*, which had the same core meaning of 'to give.' It is one of the oldest and most fundamental verbs in Spanish.
First recorded: Pre-dates standardized Spanish (Old Spanish documents, circa 10th century)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use 'dando' without 'estar'?
Yes, but less often! It's most common with 'estar' (to be) to form the progressive tense. You can also use it with verbs like 'seguir' (to continue) or 'ir' (to go) to show an ongoing action, like 'Ella sigue dando clases' (She continues giving classes).
Why does 'dando' only have one form (no changes for gender or number)?
'Dando' is a verbal adverb (a gerund), which means it describes the action itself, not the subject. Since it doesn't function as a regular adjective, it always stays the same, regardless of whether the subject is masculine, feminine, singular, or plural.