dar preterite conjugation
Dar (to give) in the preterite: di, diste, dio, dimos, disteis, dieron.
Pretérito indefinido Preterite
| yo | regular: dé |
|---|---|
| tú | regular: daste |
| él/ella/usted | regular: dó |
| nosotros | regular: damos |
| vosotros | regular: dasteis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | regular: daron |
ending regular · irr breaks the pattern · tap a form to hear it
When to use the preterite
The preterite (pretérito indefinido) is the past tense for completed actions with a clear start or end: “Ayer hice la cena.” For background, habits and ongoing states in the past, Spanish uses the imperfect instead.
How it is formed
Regular endings: -ar → é, aste, ó, amos, asteis, aron; -er/-ir → í, iste, ió, imos, isteis, ieron. Many common verbs use an irregular stem (hic-, tuv-, estuv-, pud-, quis-, dij-) with unstressed endings -e, -iste, -o, -imos, -isteis, -ieron.
Dar is irregular here. 6 of 6 forms break the pattern (dark tiles above); the regular pattern would give dé, daste, dó, damos, dasteis, daron.
Read more: Preterite vs imperfect: when to use each
Dar in a sentence
- Le doy un regalo a mi madre.I give a gift to my mother.
- Ellos me dieron las gracias.They thanked me.
Irregular yo form 'doy'; irregular preterite 'di, diste, dio...'; often used with indirect objects.
FAQ
What is the preterite of dar?
Dar in the Spanish preterite: yo di, tú diste, él/ella/usted dio, nosotros dimos, vosotros disteis, ellos/ellas/ustedes dieron.
Is dar irregular in the preterite?
Yes. 6 of 6 forms break the regular pattern: yo di (regular would be dé); tú diste (regular would be daste); él/ella/usted dio (regular would be dó); nosotros dimos (regular would be damos); vosotros disteis (regular would be dasteis); ellos/ellas/ustedes dieron (regular would be daron).
When do you use the Spanish preterite?
The preterite (pretérito indefinido) is the past tense for completed actions with a clear start or end: “Ayer hice la cena.” For background, habits and ongoing states in the past, Spanish uses the imperfect instead.
How is the preterite formed?
Regular endings: -ar → é, aste, ó, amos, asteis, aron; -er/-ir → í, iste, ió, imos, isteis, ieron. Many common verbs use an irregular stem (hic-, tuv-, estuv-, pud-, quis-, dij-) with unstressed endings -e, -iste, -o, -imos, -isteis, -ieron.
Full dar conjugation, all tenses →
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