darse
/DAR-seh/
to realize
Darse (cuenta de) means 'to realize.'
darse(Verb)
to realize
?as part of 'darse cuenta de'
,to notice
?as part of 'darse cuenta de'
to become aware
?mental process
📝 In Action
Me di cuenta de que había olvidado las llaves.
A2I realized that I had forgotten the keys.
¿Te das cuenta de lo tarde que es?
B1Do you realize how late it is?
💡 Grammar Points
The Essential 'De'
When using 'darse cuenta', you MUST include 'de' (of) right before the thing you realized: 'Me di cuenta DE la verdad'.
Reflexive Pronoun
The 'me, te, se' part always changes to match the person doing the realizing: 'Yo me doy', 'Tú te das'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Missing the 'De'
Mistake: "Me di cuenta que era tarde."
Correction: Me di cuenta DE que era tarde. (Always include 'de' before the next idea or noun.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Quick Realization
Use the past tense ('me di cuenta') when describing a sudden moment of realizing something.
Darse can literally mean 'to give (to oneself).'
darse(Verb)
to give (to oneself)
?literal reflexive action
,to give (to each other)
?reciprocal action
to dedicate oneself
?effort/dedication
📝 In Action
Los novios se dieron la mano.
A2The engaged couple held hands (gave each other their hands).
Ella se dio un lujo por su cumpleaños.
B1She gave herself a treat for her birthday.
Se dieron a la bebida después de la tragedia.
B2They took to drinking (dedicated themselves to drinking) after the tragedy.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'To Each Other' Action
When 'darse' is used with 'nosotros' (we) or 'ellos' (they), it often means the action is done mutually: 'Nos dimos las gracias' (We thanked each other).
Darse means 'to happen' or 'to occur.'
darse(Verb)
to happen
?to occur
,to exist
?to be available/found
to yield
?crops/results
,to take place
?events
📝 In Action
Este tipo de flor solo se da en climas fríos.
B1This type of flower only grows/is found in cold climates.
Si se da la oportunidad, viajaremos.
B2If the opportunity arises (happens), we will travel.
¿Se da bien la agricultura en esta zona?
B2Does agriculture do well (yield results) in this area?
💡 Grammar Points
Impersonal Use
When used in this sense, 'darse' often uses the 'se' form, focusing on the event or item, not who is doing the action (e.g., 'el caso se da').
Darse means 'to surrender' or 'to give up.'
darse(Verb)
to surrender
?to give up
,to consider oneself
?followed by a condition or state
📝 In Action
El equipo se dio por vencido antes del descanso.
B2The team gave up (considered itself defeated) before halftime.
Nos dimos por satisfechos con el resultado.
B2We considered ourselves satisfied with the result.
⭐ Usage Tips
The 'Por' Structure
In this meaning, 'darse' is almost always followed by 'por' and then a descriptive word (like 'vencido' or 'satisfecho').
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: darse
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'darse' in the common idiomatic sense of 'to realize'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'darse' the same as 'dar'?
No. 'Dar' means 'to give' (to someone else). 'Darse' means 'to give to oneself' or 'to give to each other,' but it is most often used in special phrases like 'darse cuenta' (to realize) or 'darse prisa' (to hurry).
Why is the 'yo' form 'doy' and not 'do'?
The verb 'dar' is irregular in the first person singular (yo) of the present tense. It keeps the 'y' from its older Latin root, making it 'yo doy' (I give) and therefore 'yo me doy' (I give myself).