Dar, meaning "to give," is a fundamental verb in Spanish used to express the act of providing or transferring something to someone. It's an irregular verb commonly used in everyday conversations and has various meanings depending on the context.
- Dar means "to give" and is used to indicate providing or transferring something.
- It's an irregular verb, meaning its conjugation doesn't follow standard patterns.
- Commonly used in everyday expressions and has multiple contextual meanings.
Conjugations
Dar is an irregular verb, and its conjugations are essential for expressing different subjects in various tenses.
| Tense | Conjugation | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Infinitive | Dar | To give |
| Gerund | Dando | Giving |
| Past Participle | Dado | Given |
| Present | Doy, Das, Da, Damos, Dan | I give, You give, He/She gives, We give, They give |
| Preterite | Di, Diste, Dio, Dimos, Dieron | I gave, You gave, He/She gave, We gave, They gave |
| Imperfect | Daba, Dabas, Daba, Dábamos, Daban | I was giving, You were giving, He/She was giving, We were giving, They were giving |
| Future | Daré, Darás, Dará, Daremos, Darán | I will give, You will give, He/She will give, We will give, They will give |
| Conditional | Daría, Darías, Daría, Daríamos, Darían | I would give, You would give, He/She would give, We would give, They would give |
Uses
Dar is versatile and used in various expressions and idioms in Spanish. Its meanings can change based on context, making it a valuable verb to master.
1. To Give
This is the most straightforward use, indicating the act of giving something to someone.
- Example: Ella da un regalo. (She gives a gift.)
2. To Show
In some contexts, "dar" means to show or demonstrate.
- Example: Da una señal. (Give a signal.)
3. To Provide
"Dar" can also mean to provide something, often used in a more abstract sense.
- Example: Da información. (Provide information.)
4. Idiomatic Expressions
"Dar" is part of several idiomatic expressions in Spanish, adding to its versatility.
| Expression | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dar en el clavo | To hit the nail on the head | ¡Has dado en el clavo! | You’ve hit the nail on the head! |
| Dar las gracias | To thank | Quiero dar las gracias. | I want to thank you. |
| Dar miedo | To scare | Esa película da miedo. | That movie is scary. |
| Dar la mano | To help | Siempre estoy dispuesto a dar la mano. | I’m always willing to help. |
| Dar un paseo | To take a walk | Vamos a dar un paseo. | Let’s take a walk. |
Examples in Sentences
Understanding how "dar" is used in real sentences can help illustrate its versatility and importance in the language.
- Present: Yo doy comida a los pobres. (I give food to the poor.)
- Preterite: Ellos dieron ayuda. (They gave help.)
- Imperfect: Nosotros dábamos clases. (We were giving classes.)
- Future: Ella dará su opinión mañana. (She will give her opinion tomorrow.)
- Conditional: Yo daría todo por ti. (I would give everything for you.)