dieron
/dee-eh-ron/
they gave
Visualizing 'they gave': The children handed over the supplies.
dieron(Verb)
they gave
?past action of giving or handing over
,you all gave
?formal or plural 'you' in the past
they presented
?giving something formally
,they handed over
?physical transfer
📝 In Action
Ellos nos dieron las entradas antes del concierto.
A1They gave us the tickets before the concert.
Ustedes le dieron un buen consejo sobre el negocio.
A2You all gave him good advice about the business.
Mis padres me dieron permiso para ir a la fiesta.
A2My parents gave me permission to go to the party.
💡 Grammar Points
Irregular Past Tense
The verb 'dar' is irregular in the simple past (Preterite). Notice 'dieron' uses 'ie' instead of the typical '-aron' ending for AR verbs. Treat it like an IR/ER verb past tense.
No Accent Needed
'Dieron' is a two-syllable word stressed on the first syllable, but because it is a plain verb form, it does not require a written accent mark (unlike some other past tense verbs).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'Dieron' and 'Fueron'
Mistake: "Using 'dieron' when meaning 'they went' or 'they were'."
Correction: Use 'dieron' only for 'they gave'. Use 'fueron' (from 'ir' or 'ser') for 'they went' or 'they were'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Focus on Completed Action
Use 'dieron' when the act of giving started and finished completely in the past (e.g., yesterday, last week, once). Use 'daban' (imperfect) for ongoing or habitual past actions.
Visualizing 'they held' (an event): The organizers hosted a successful conference.
dieron(Verb)
they held
?an event, party, or conference
,they performed
?a show or demonstration
they administered
?a test or class
📝 In Action
Los estudiantes dieron una gran presentación final.
B1The students held (or gave) a great final presentation.
En ese teatro dieron tres funciones de la obra la semana pasada.
B2In that theater, they held three performances of the play last week.
💡 Grammar Points
Action vs. Object
In this context, 'dieron' often links to abstract objects (parties, announcements, classes) rather than physical items.
Visualizing 'they resulted in': The combined ingredients created a new flavor.
dieron(Verb)
they resulted in
?an outcome or consequence
,they produced
?results or effects
they caused
?a reaction or problem
📝 In Action
Las negociaciones no dieron el resultado esperado.
B2The negotiations did not produce the expected result. (Note: Here the subject 'negociaciones' acts as the plural subject.)
Los análisis químicos dieron cifras alarmantes.
C1The chemical analyses yielded alarming figures.
💡 Grammar Points
Fixed Phrases
This meaning is often found in fixed phrases like 'dar resultado' (to produce results) or 'dar frutos' (to bear fruit), where 'dar' takes on an intrinsic, causative meaning.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: dieron
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'dieron' to mean 'they held an event'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'dieron' irregular?
'Dieron' is irregular because it does not use the standard simple past endings for 'ar' verbs (which should be '-aron'). Instead, the verb 'dar' completely changes its stem in the past tense, simplifying its structure (di, diste, dio, dimos, disteis, dieron).
What is the difference between 'dieron' and 'daban'?
'Dieron' is the simple past (Preterite), used for completed actions: 'They gave the money and left.' 'Daban' is the descriptive past (Imperfect), used for habitual actions or descriptions: 'They always gave us candy when we visited.'