When learning Brazilian Portuguese, the conjugation of dar is one of the first challenges you’ll encounter, as this verb is an essential part of the language’s backbone. Despite its frequent use in everyday conversation, the verb dar is notorious for its irregular conjugation – a hurdle that even native Brazilians sometimes stumble upon. But mastering the conjugation of dar in Portuguese is the bread and butter of so many rich idiomatic expressions, and a must for anyone looking to speak Portuguese with confidence.
Understanding dar in its present and past forms is the key to unlocking a host of expressive possibilities that will not only add authenticity to your speech but also open doors to a more nuanced understanding of Brazilian culture.
Let’s dive in and demystify these crucial conjugations, ensuring that you get them right every time.
The secret to learning verb conjugation is practice, so make sure you do the practice exercises below!
Present Tense Conjugation of Dar – Presente do Indicativo
The present tense conjugation of dar deviates from the standard pattern, making it an irregular verb that you’ll need to memorize.
Listen to the pronunciation of the present tense conjugation:
- Eu dou
- Tu dás
- Ele/Ela/Você dá
- A gente dá
- Nós damos
- Eles/Elas/Vocês dão
Present Tense Examples with Dar
These examples show three handy uses of dar in Portuguese.
1. Eu sempre dou meu melhor em tudo o que eu faço. (I always give my best in everything I do.)
2. Você dá a impressão de ser uma pessoa muito culta. (You give the impression of being a very cultured person.)
3. Eles dão risada sempre que assistem aquele programa de humor. (They laugh whenever they watch that comedy show.)
Past Tense Conjugation of Dar – Pretérito Perfeito do Indicativo
Moving to the simple past tense of dar.
Listen to the pronunciation of the present tense conjugation:
- Eu dei
- Tu deste
- Ele/Ela/Você deu
- A gente deu
- Nós demos
- Eles/Elas/Vocês deram
Past Tense Examples with Dar
You will learn additional uses of dar with the examples below.
1. Ontem eu dei uma festa surpresa pra celebrar o aniversário do meu irmão. (Yesterday I threw a surprise party to celebrate my brother’ birthday.)
2. Você deu uma ótima sugestão na reunião da semana passada. (You gave a great suggestion at last week’s meeting.)
3. Eles deram uma volta no parque antes de começar a chover. (They took a walk in the park before it started to rain.)
There you have it—the present and simple past tense conjugation of dar in Portuguese ready for you to practice and perfect.
Practice Makes Perfect: Exercise Your Dar Conjugations in Portuguese
By getting a solid grasp on these forms, you’ll be well-equipped to learn and use all the expressions that the verb dar can offer, enhancing your communication skills and allowing you to express yourself in Brazilian Portuguese with ease and accuracy.
So, here are practice exercises with the present tense (presente do indicativo) and past tense (pretérito perfeito do indicativo) of Dar in Portuguese for you!
Practice Exercise 1: Present Tense of Dar
Practice Exercise 2: Present Tense of Dar
Practice Exercise 3: Past Tense of Dar
Practice Exercise 4: Past Tense of Dar
Go much further with DAR, FAZER, and QUERER 🚀
I created Portuguese Builder Flashcards to help you practice these verbs in real sentences.
Not just any sentences. You’ll grow your vocabulary and your ability to express yourself with Brazilian expressions that come up all the time in conversation, but don’t translate word for word.
It’s a fun way to learn how to say more and say it naturally in Brazilian Portuguese..
