dar
“dar” means “to give” in Spanish. It has 4 different meanings depending on context:
to give
Also: to hand, to provide
📝 In Action
Mi abuela siempre me da veinte euros por mi cumpleaños.
A1My grandmother always gives me twenty euros for my birthday.
¿Me das la sal, por favor?
A1Can you give me the salt, please?
Le di las llaves al recepcionista.
A2I gave the keys to the receptionist.
to give / to throw
Also: to teach, to give, to take
📝 In Action
Vamos a dar una fiesta el sábado.
A2We're going to throw a party on Saturday.
El profesor da clases de historia.
A2The professor gives/teaches history classes.
Me gusta dar un paseo por el parque por la tarde.
B1I like to take a walk in the park in the afternoon.
to face / to overlook
Also: to yield / to produce, to strike / to hit
📝 In Action
Nuestra habitación de hotel da al mar.
B1Our hotel room overlooks the sea.
Este árbol no da fruta.
B1This tree doesn't produce fruit.
El reloj dio las doce y nos fuimos a dormir.
B2The clock struck twelve and we went to sleep.
to cause a feeling
Also: to realize
📝 In Action
Las películas de terror me dan miedo.
B1Horror movies scare me (literally: give me fear).
No me di cuenta de la hora que era.
B1I didn't realize what time it was.
¡Date prisa, que perdemos el tren!
A2Hurry up, or we'll miss the train!
¿Qué más da? Ya es tarde.
B2What difference does it make? It's already late.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: dar
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence correctly means 'The dark scares me'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb 'dare', which also meant 'to give'. It's one of the oldest and most stable verbs, keeping its core meaning for thousands of years.
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'dar' and 'regalar'?
Think of 'dar' as the general word for 'to give' or 'to hand over'. 'Regalar' is more specific and means 'to give as a gift'. You would 'dar' the salt to someone at the table, but you would 'regalar' a present for their birthday.
Why is 'doy' the form for 'I give'? It doesn't follow the normal '-ar' pattern.
'Dar' is a very old and common verb, and these types of verbs are often irregular. The 'yo' form of many important verbs has a unique ending (like tengo, hago, pongo). 'Doy' is one you just have to memorize, but you'll use it so often it will quickly feel natural!
What does 'darse' mean?
'Darse' is the reflexive form, where the action happens to the person doing it. It's used in many set phrases. The most common is 'darse cuenta de', which means 'to realize'. You aren't giving an account to someone else, you're 'giving it to yourself'—you're the one who understands.