dar
Lemma Details
Translation: to give; to provide; to deliver; to grant; to offer; to yield; to produce; to hit; to strike
Part of Speech: verb
Etymology: Dar comes from Latin 'dare' meaning 'to give'. This Latin root is found in many English words like 'donation', 'donor', and 'date' (as in the fruit, which was seen as a gift). The Latin 'dare' is from Proto-Indo-European *deh₃- ('to give'), which connects it to a wide family of words across many languages related to giving and offering.
Commonality: 95%
Guessability: 30%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Te doy mi palabra.
I give you my word.
El árbol da manzanas.
The tree yields apples.
Me dio un beso en la mejilla.
She gave me a kiss on the cheek.
No me da tiempo.
I don't have time (lit: It doesn't give me time).
¿Me das tu número de teléfono?
Will you give me your phone number?
El reloj da las doce.
The clock strikes twelve.
La ventana da al jardín.
The window faces the garden.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'dar' as the start of 'darling' - you give things to your darlings.
- Dar sounds like 'there' - when you give something, you put it 'there' for someone else.
- The shortness of 'dar' reflects how easy and quick it should be to give.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Cultural Context
Dar is one of the most fundamental and versatile verbs in Spanish. It appears in countless expressions and idioms, often with meanings that go beyond simple 'giving'. In Spanish culture, the concept of giving (whether gifts, time, or attention) is highly valued and reflects the importance of generosity and social connections.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'dar' means 'to give', 'decir' means 'to say' or 'to tell'. They can be confused because both are irregular verbs and some of their conjugated forms look similar.
This word:
Te doy un consejo.
I give you advice.
Confused word:
Te digo un secreto.
I tell you a secret.
Notes: The past participles 'dado' (given) and 'dicho' (said) are particularly distinct and can help differentiate these verbs.
Mnemonic: Dar starts with 'D' for 'Deliver' (giving), while Decir starts with 'D' for 'Declare' (saying).
Explanation: While 'dar' means 'to give', 'ir' means 'to go'. They can be confused in some tenses because both are irregular verbs with some similar forms, particularly in the preterite tense where 'dar' forms include 'di', 'dio', 'dieron' and 'ir' forms include 'fui', 'fue', 'fueron'.
Confused word:
Fui a la tienda ayer.
I went to the store yesterday.
Notes: The present tense forms are quite different: 'doy' (I give) vs 'voy' (I go).
Mnemonic: Remember: 'di' (I gave) vs 'fui' (I went) - 'di' is shorter just like 'dar', while 'fui' has an 'u' like 'you go'.