Dar Conjugation in Portuguese
dar means “to give” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 14 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It is the verb of giving, and it appears in many set phrases for giving help, giving a hand and giving news. Its present and future are irregular, with a short stem that changes in the singular: dou, dás, dá, damos, dais, dão. Note the AO90 subjunctive forms demos and deem, with no accent. This page gives you the complete conjugation of dar — every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle — with notes, examples, common mistakes and a quiz. Here is the verb in a natural sentence: “Eu dou um livro à Maria todos os dias.” — “I give a book to Maria.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: dar
- English: to give
- Verb type: Irregular -ar verb
- Irregular in: presente, pretérito perfeito, pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples, presente do subjuntivo, pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo, futuro do subjuntivo, imperativo afirmativo, imperativo negativo
- Gerund: dando
- Present participle: dante
- Past participle: dado
- Auxiliary: ter (all perfect tenses are formed with ter + the past participle)
- Ending: -ar verbs; pattern ar in the verified tables
Pronunciation
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for dar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Learn the spelling of the forms first, and listen to a native speaker for the sounds rather than trusting an invented transcription. The forms below are the ones that matter: once you can read dar in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about dar
- It is irregular in 8 tense(s): presente, pretérito perfeito, pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples, presente do subjuntivo, pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo, futuro do subjuntivo, imperativo afirmativo, imperativo negativo. Learn those forms as a set instead of guessing them from the infinitive, because the stem changes in ways no rule predicts.
- The perfect tenses use ter: the pretérito perfeito composto is formed with ter in the present plus the past participle dado. The tables on this page give the participle in the masculine singular form, exactly as it appears in the verified dump; agreement with the subject is a separate step that depends on the sentence, not on the verb table.
- The gerund is dando, the present participle is dante and the past participle is dado: keep all three in mind as you read the tables, because the gerund appears in progressive constructions, the present participle appears as an adjective, and the past participle appears in every perfect tense. If you know those three forms and the present tense, you already know the skeleton of the whole conjugation.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from VerbFlow’s verified conjugation tables for dar. Learn the present tense first, then the pretérito perfeito and the pretérito imperfeito, and add the remaining tenses one at a time.
Present indicative (presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | dou |
| tu | dás |
| ele/ela | dá |
| nós | damos |
| vós | dais |
| eles/elas | dão |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu dou um livro à Maria todos os dias.” — “I give a book to Maria”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | dei |
| tu | deste |
| ele/ela | deu |
| nós | demos |
| vós | destes |
| eles/elas | deram |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu dei um livro à Maria ontem.” — “I gave a book to Maria”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | dava |
| tu | davas |
| ele/ela | dava |
| nós | dávamos |
| vós | dáveis |
| eles/elas | davam |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu dava um livro à Maria antigamente.” — “I used to give a book to Maria”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | dera |
| tu | deras |
| ele/ela | dera |
| nós | déramos |
| vós | déreis |
| eles/elas | deram |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples is used for an action completed before another past action; in everyday speech the compound form with tinha is more common. For example: “Eu dera um livro à Maria antes do jantar.” — “I had given a book to Maria”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | darei |
| tu | darás |
| ele/ela | dará |
| nós | daremos |
| vós | dareis |
| eles/elas | darão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu darei um livro à Maria amanhã.” — “I will give a book to Maria”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | daria |
| tu | darias |
| ele/ela | daria |
| nós | daríamos |
| vós | daríeis |
| eles/elas | dariam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu daria um livro à Maria um dia.” — “I would give a book to Maria”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho dado |
| tu | tens dado |
| ele/ela | tem dado |
| nós | temos dado |
| vós | tendes dado |
| eles/elas | têm dado |
The pretérito perfeito composto is used for actions that started in the past and continue, or have been repeated, up to the present. For example: “Ele tem dado um livro à Maria esta semana.” — “He has given a book to Maria”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha dado |
| tu | tinhas dado |
| ele/ela | tinha dado |
| nós | tínhamos dado |
| vós | tínheis dado |
| eles/elas | tinham dado |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha dado um livro à Maria antes do jantar.” — “I had given a book to Maria”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei dado |
| tu | terás dado |
| ele/ela | terá dado |
| nós | teremos dado |
| vós | tereis dado |
| eles/elas | terão dado |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei dado um livro à Maria até amanhã.” — “I will have given a book to Maria”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria dado |
| tu | terias dado |
| ele/ela | teria dado |
| nós | teríamos dado |
| vós | teríeis dado |
| eles/elas | teriam dado |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria dado um livro à Maria ontem.” — “I would have given a book to Maria”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | dê |
| tu | dês |
| ele/ela | dê |
| nós | demos |
| vós | deis |
| eles/elas | deem |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu dê um livro à Maria.” — “It is important that I give a book to Maria”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | desse |
| tu | desses |
| ele/ela | desse |
| nós | déssemos |
| vós | désseis |
| eles/elas | dessem |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo is used in the past for wishes and hypotheticals after que, and in se-clauses. For example: “Era importante que eu desse um livro à Maria.” — “It was important that I give a book to Maria”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | der |
| tu | deres |
| ele/ela | der |
| nós | dermos |
| vós | derdes |
| eles/elas | derem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu der um livro à Maria, é bom.” — “If I give a book to Maria, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | dá |
| ele/ela | dê |
| nós | demos |
| vós | dai |
| eles/elas | deem |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Dá um livro à Maria!” — “Give a book to Maria!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não dês |
| ele/ela | não dê |
| nós | não demos |
| vós | não deis |
| eles/elas | não deem |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não dês um livro à Maria.” — “Do not give a book to Maria.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha dado |
| tu | tenhas dado |
| ele/ela | tenha dado |
| nós | tenhamos dado |
| vós | tenhais dado |
| eles/elas | tenham dado |
The presente do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a subordinate clause expressing doubt, wish or emotion. For example: “É importante que eu tenha dado um livro à Maria.” — “It is important that I have given a book to Maria”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse dado |
| tu | tivesses dado |
| ele/ela | tivesse dado |
| nós | tivéssemos dado |
| vós | tivésseis dado |
| eles/elas | tivessem dado |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse dado um livro à Maria.” — “It was important that I had given a book to Maria”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver dado |
| tu | tiveres dado |
| ele/ela | tiver dado |
| nós | tivermos dado |
| vós | tiverdes dado |
| eles/elas | tiverem dado |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver dado um livro à Maria, é bom.” — “If I have given a book to Maria, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | dando |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Dando um livro à Maria, aprendo muito.” — “While giving a book to Maria, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Present participle | dante |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle dante is used to describe something that is happening at the same time as the main action, much like an English -ing adjective. You will meet dante more often as an adjective or a noun than as a verb form, so learn it as a word in its own right.
Past participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Past participle | dado |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho dado um livro à Maria esta semana.” — “I have given a book to Maria.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with dar, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu dou um livro à Maria todos os dias.” — “I give a book to Maria”
- “Tu deste um livro à Maria ontem.” — “You gave a book to Maria”
- “Ele dava um livro à Maria antigamente.” — “He used to give a book to Maria”
- “Eu darei um livro à Maria amanhã.” — “I will give a book to Maria”
- “Tu darias um livro à Maria um dia.” — “You would give a book to Maria”
- “Ele tem dado um livro à Maria esta semana.” — “He has given a book to Maria”
- “Eu tinha dado um livro à Maria antes do jantar.” — “I had given a book to Maria”
- “Tu terás dado um livro à Maria até amanhã.” — “You will have given a book to Maria”
- “É importante que eu dê um livro à Maria.” — “It is important that I give a book to Maria”
- “Dá um livro à Maria!” — “Give a book to Maria!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu dar um livro à Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu dou um livro à Maria todos os dias.”
The infinitive dar never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form dou.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu dás um livro à Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu dou um livro à Maria todos os dias.”
dás is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with dou.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu dou um livro à Maria ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu dei um livro à Maria ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito dei for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou dado um livro à Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho dado um livro à Maria esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of dar is formed with ter plus the past participle dado: the eu form is tenho dado. Check the auxiliary in the table above before you build a perfect tense.
5. Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger
✗ Wrong: “É importante que eu dou um livro à Maria.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu dê um livro à Maria.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use dê here, not the indicative dou.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho dando um livro à Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho dado um livro à Maria esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle dado, not the gerund dando. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on dar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of dar in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) dás
- B) dou
- C) dá
- D) damos
What is the ele/ela form of dar in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) dei
- B) deste
- C) deu
- D) demos
What is the nós form of dar in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) dava
- B) davas
- C) dáveis
- D) dávamos
What is the tu form of dar in the Futuro do presente?
- A) darás
- B) darei
- C) dará
- D) daremos
What is the eu form of dar in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) darias
- B) daria
- C) daríamos
- D) daríeis
What is the ele/ela form of dar in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho dado
- B) tens dado
- C) tem dado
- D) temos dado
What is the ele/ela form of dar in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) dês
- B) demos
- C) deis
- D) dê
What is the eu form of dar in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) desse
- B) desses
- C) déssemos
- D) désseis
What is the gerund of dar?
- A) dado
- B) dando
- C) dar
- D) dou
What does dar mean in English?
- A) to be
- B) to have
- C) to give
- D) —
Answer key
- B) dou — the correct form is dou. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) deu — the correct form is deu. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) dávamos — the correct form is dávamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) darás — the correct form is darás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) daria — the correct form is daria. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem dado — the correct form is tem dado. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) dê — the correct form is dê. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) desse — the correct form is desse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) dando — the correct form is dando. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to give — the correct form is to give. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does dar mean in English?
dar means “to give”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is dar regular or irregular?
dar is irregular: it is irregular in presente, pretérito perfeito, pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples, presente do subjuntivo, pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo, futuro do subjuntivo, imperativo afirmativo, imperativo negativo. The gerund is dando and the past participle is dado.
What are the gerund and past participle of dar?
The gerund is dando — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is dado — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho dado.
Which auxiliary does dar take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
dar takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho dado. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle dado.
How do I say “I give” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu dou um livro à Maria todos os dias.” — “I give a book to Maria” The eu form of the present is dou, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of dar — every tense of dar in one place.
- Dar in the pretérito perfeito tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Dar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice questions for this verb.
- Portuguese pretérito perfeito tense guide — the full guide to the pretérito perfeito tense in Portuguese.
- Portuguese irregular verbs — every common irregular Portuguese verb, grouped by pattern.
- Estar conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Ficar conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Portuguese verbs — the full hub of Portuguese conjugation pages.
- VerbFlow home — all languages, tools and verb lists.
- Verb Conjugator — practise dar with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise dar with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise dar with the interactive tool.