Learn Spanish (Latin America): Me gustaría subirme al techo, pero me da vértigo. - I would like to climb onto the roof, but it gives me vertigo.

Me gustaría subirme al techo, pero me da vértigo.

I would like to climb onto the roof, but it gives me vertigo.

Breakdown of Me gustaría subirme al techo, pero me da vértigo.

to me / me (direct object)

Questions & Answers about Me gustaría subirme al techo, pero me da vértigo.

Why do we use da in me da vértigo instead of a verb like tener or hacer?

In Spanish, many physical or emotional reactions are expressed using the verb dar (to give) followed by a noun. It literally translates to 'it gives me vertigo,' where the 'it' (climbing the roof) is the subject, and me is the indirect object pronoun receiving the feeling. You will see this pattern often with other feelings, like me da miedo (it scares me) or me da vergüenza (it embarrasses me).

What exactly is the subject of da here?

The unstated subject is the action from the first half of the sentence: climbing the roof (subirme al techo). Because the subject is an action (a single idea), the verb dar is conjugated in the third-person singular (da).

Why is there a me attached to the end of subir?

The verb subir simply means to go up or to climb. By adding the pronoun to make it subirse, it emphasizes the physical action of getting yourself up onto something specific. The me at the end matches the person doing the action.

Does Me gustaría work the same way as me da?