Expressions with Dar

Dar is "to give", but in expressions it often means something quite different: to realize, to strike (a clock), to come across, or to cause a reaction. These idioms are extremely frequent in spoken Latin American Spanish.

Darse cuenta (to realize)

This is one of the most important dar expressions. It is always reflexive, and it uses de before a clause or noun.

Me di cuenta de que me había equivocado.

I realized I had made a mistake.

¿Te das cuenta de lo tarde que es?

Do you realize how late it is?

No me di cuenta de nada.

I didn't notice anything.

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Do not confuse darse cuenta (to realize, mentally) with realizar, which in Spanish means to carry out or accomplish. Realicé un proyecto means I completed a project, not I realized something.

Dar a luz (to give birth)

A tender expression meaning literally "to give to the light".

Mi hermana dio a luz a una niña.

My sister gave birth to a girl.

Va a dar a luz en mayo.

She's going to give birth in May.

Dar igual (to not matter)

Used to say something makes no difference. It works like gustar: the thing that is indifferent is the subject, and the person is an indirect object.

Me da igual.

I don't care. / It's all the same to me.

¿Café o té? Me da igual.

Coffee or tea? Either one.

Le da igual lo que digan los demás.

He doesn't care what others say.

Dar la hora (for a clock to strike)

El reloj dio las doce.

The clock struck twelve.

Cuando den las ocho, salimos.

When it strikes eight, we leave.

Dar las gracias (to thank)

Although you can just say gracias, the fuller verb form uses dar.

Quiero darte las gracias por tu ayuda.

I want to thank you for your help.

Les dio las gracias a todos.

He thanked everyone.

Dar miedo / dar pena / dar risa

Dar combines with nouns describing emotions, to mean "to cause" that feeling in someone. The person affected is an indirect object.

Las películas de terror me dan miedo.

Horror movies scare me.

Me da pena ese perro.

I feel sorry for that dog.

Tu chiste me dio mucha risa.

Your joke made me laugh a lot.

Le da vergüenza hablar en público.

He's embarrassed to speak in public.

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The structure mirrors gustar: me da miedo literally says "it gives me fear". The thing causing the reaction is the grammatical subject.

Dar con (to come across / to find)

Dar con means to bump into someone or something, often by accident or after searching.

Al fin di con la respuesta.

I finally found the answer.

Dimos con un restaurante excelente.

We came across an excellent restaurant.

No doy con mis llaves.

I can't find my keys.

Other useful dar expressions

Dame un momento.

Give me a moment.

Voy a dar un paseo por el parque.

I'm going to take a walk in the park.

La ventana da al jardín.

The window faces the garden.

Dame la mano.

Give me your hand.

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