Video:Learn Spanish: How to Conjugate Dar in Present Tense
with Milo De PrietoLearn how to conjugate dar in present tense to expand your Spanish speaking abilities. Here are tips for conjugating dar in present tense, with examples of daily usage.See Transcript
Transcript:Learn Spanish: How to Conjugate Dar in Present Tense
Hola, I'm Milo for About.com and today we're talking about conjugating the verb dar, to give, in the present tense.
Conjugation for Dar in Present Tense
Dar is not quite a regular verb, but like all verbs, you'll see that it follows some helpful patterns. It's also VERY easy to remember.
- yo doy: I give
- tú das: you (informal) give
- usted da: you (formal) give / él/ella da: he, she gives
- nosotros damos: we give
- vosotros dais: you (plural Spain informal) give
- ustedes dan: you (plural Latin America, Spain formal) give / ellos/ellas dan: they give
You see that dar is a regular verb in all conjugations except for yo, where you simply add a y, or vosotros, where it unusually does not have an accent. Remember, because the subject is embedded in the verb, you can drop it.
Examples of Dar in Present Tense in Daily Usage
Doy sangre con frequencia. I give blood often.
¿Le das el libro? Did you give him the book?
Usted da un montón a la caridad. You give a lot to charity.
Les damos las llaves el lunes. We give them the keys on Monday.
Dais regalos preciosos. You give precious gifts.
Dan propinas grandes. They give large tips.
Conjugation of the Gerund Form of Dar in Present Tense
The gerund of dar is dando. It is not used the same as in English, where the gerund can be the noun version of the verb; In Spanish that is usually the infinitive: Su dar es impresionante. (His giving is impressive.) Typically in Spanish the gerund is used with the "estar" form of the "to be" verb.
- estoy dando: I am giving
- estás dando: you (informal) are giving
- está dando: you (formal) are giving / está dando: he, she, it is giving
- estamos dando: we are giving
- estáis dando: you (plural Spain informal) are giving
- están dando: you (plural Latin America, Spain formal) are giving / están dando: they are giving
Daily Usage Examples of the Gerund of Dar in Present Tense
Estoy dando más tiempo para esta actividad. I'm giving extra time for this activity.
Me estás dando un dolor de la cabeza. You are giving me a headache.
Ella le está dando su versión de la historia. She is giving him her version of the story.
Sólo estamos dando nuestra opinión. We are only giving our opinion.
Estáis dando demasiado. You give too much.
Están dando su tiempo. They are giving their time.
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