DAR
The general meaning of DAR is "to give" but it is also used in hundreds of expressions. The first table contains a selection of the most frequently used ones and then later we give some examples of less common ones.
Spanish |
English |
FRASES COMUNES | |
| No me da la gana | I don't want to. / I don't feel like it. |
| dar a alguien las gracias por algo ¿Le diste las gracias? | to thank someone for something Did you thank him? Did you say thank you? |
| dar a alguien la bienvenida | to welcome someone |
| dar un paseo ¿quieres dar un paseo? | to go for a walk Would you like to go for a walk |
| dar una vuelta en coche dar una vuelta a la manzana | to go for a drive to go round the block Note: "Dar una vuelta" could also mean to go for a spin. |
| Le va a dar un ataque cuando lo vea | he'll have a fit when he sees it / he'll go mad when he sees it |
| dar patadas a algo / alguien | to kick something / someone |
| dar asco Me da asco Le dan asco las cebollas. | to sicken / revolt It revolts me. He can't stand onions. |
| dar clases: Note: If someone says "doy clases de baile" It is not clear if they are the student or the teacher. | to give classes (teacher) to have classes (student) |
| dar de comer a había que darle de comer al águila con la mano | to feed: the eagle had to be fed by hand |
| dar en el blanco | to hit the target - to get a bullseye |
| dar la vuelta al mundo | to go round the world |
| dar un consejo a alguien | to give someone some advice |
| dar ánimo(s) a alguien | to encourage someone - to urge someone on |
| darse cuenta de algo No me di cuenta. | to realise something I didn't realise. |
| dar una entrada para algo | to put down a deposit on something |
| dar un examen | to take an exam |
| dar fe de algo | to testify to something. Note: At the end of legal documents it often says "Doy fe" before the signature. |
| dar la lata siempre está dando la lata | to be a nuisance / to bother someone he is always being a nuisance. |
| dar voces | to shout / scream |
| dar a luz | to give birth |
| dar cosa Me da cosa preguntarle de nuevo | to feel uncomfortable / awkward about something I feel awkward about asking him again |
| en un momento dado | at a given moment / time |
| dado que | given that / since |
| dado por ... dado por muerto | presumed to be .... presumed to be dead |
| me da hambre: See note: After "me da ..." many expressions are possible: eg: me da envidia = It make me envious | It makes me feel hungry: Note that there are many expressions with "me da ...." and they normally mean that something makes you feel something. So you could say "me da hambre" if you are looking a book of delicious recipes for example. |
| dar pena / lástima Me da pena ver a esas personas A mí los que me dan pena son los niños | to make sad / to upset / to feel sorry It upsets me to see those people It's the children I feel sorry for |
| dar guerra Estos niños me dan mucha guerra | to cause trouble / to hassle These children give me a lot of hassle |
| me da lo mismo me da igual | it's all the same to me it's the same to me or I couldn't care less: Note: "No me importa" is very similar. |
| tuve que darle la razón | I had to admit he was right |
| dar saltos de alegría | to jump for joy |
| dar señas / señales de | to show signs of |
| dar buena / mala suerte | to bring good / bad luck |
| FRASES NO TAN COMUNES | |
| dar marcha atrás (sobre algo) el gobierno dio marcha atrás |
to go back (on something) the government made a "U" turn |
| Nos van a dar las uvas (dar las uvas a alguien) | We'll be here all day / night We'll be here until the cows come home |
| ¡Esa no da ni la hora! No nos da ni la hora | You won't get anything out of her He won't even given us the time of day |
| dar oídos a algo No podía dar crédito a mis oídos | to take notice of something I couldn't believe my ears |
| dar lidia ¡Qué lidia dan estos niños! | to be a handful/a struggle These children are a real handful. |
| dar la hora / las cinco | to strike the hour / five o'clock |
| dar una cabezada | to have a nap |
| dar un calambre en Me ha dado un calambre en el pie | to get cramp in I've got cramp in my foot |
| dar en el clavo | to hit the nail on the head |
| dar refugio a alguien | to take someone in |
| dar por sentado dar algo por supuesto | to take for granted to take something for granted |
| dar leña a alguien Le dieron mucha leña en el debate | to give someone a lot of stick He took a lot of stick in the debate |
| darle caña a alguien | to have a go at someone / to attack |
| ¡dale caña! | give it some stick. Note: If you want someone to turn the sound up loud when listening to music or maybe go faster if you are driving you might say: ¡dale caña! (give it some welly BR.) |
| dar refugio a alguien | to take someone in |
| dar (hasta) las entrañas | to give one's all |
| dar una pataleta Le dio una pataleta | to throw a tantrum / to have a fit She threw a tantrum |
| deja de dar el peñazo | stop hassling me |
| dar algo por perdido | to give something up as lost |
| dar el visto bueno a algo | to approve something |
| ¡Como se entere su madre le va a dar un infarto! | If his mother finds out, she'll go mad! |
| darse un resbalón | to slip (lit), to put one's foot in it, |
| dar vía libre a algo | to give something the go-head to give something the green light |
| dar un volantazo | to swerve: Note: "volante" is the steering wheel. |
| dar una voltereta | to do a somersault |
| dar un vuelco La situación puede dar un vuelco en cualquier momento | to change drastically The situation could change drastically at any time |
| dar en la tecla | to hit the nail on the head |
| dar un telefonazo a alguien | to give someone a buzz / a call (coll.) |
| dar un taconazo | to click one's heels |
| dar los últimos coletazos Mi relación con mi novia está dando los últimos coletazos | to be on its last legs My relationship with my girlfriend is on its last legs. |
| dar palos de ciego Estaban dando palos de ciego, tratando de encontrar una solución | to lash out blindly (in a fight) to grope around (in the dark) They were groping around for a solution. |
| darse por aludido Lo dije varias veces pero no se dio por aludido No te des por aludido, no hablabamos de tí | to take the hint We told him several times but he didn't take the hint. Don't take it personally, we weren't talking about you. |
| dar una paliza a alguien | to beat someone up |
| dar una guantada a alguien | to slap someone |
| dar una leche dar una leche a alguien | to crash (car, etc.) to thump someone |