Regalar Examples, Sentences & Quiz in Spanish

regalar means "to give (a gift)" in English, and this page shows you how it actually sounds in everyday Spanish — not just the conjugation table, but the verb in real sentences, in short dialogues, and in the mistakes learners make with it. Regalar means "to give as a gift" — you give someone a present for a birthday, for Christmas, for a wedding. It is warmer and more specific than dar (to give): regalar always means a gift, given freely and usually for a celebration. It is also used for giving away things you no longer need (regalo mi ropa vieja, I give away my old clothes). It is a fully regular -ar verb, and its present tense is the language of birthdays, Christmas and generosity all year round. Below you will find twelve example sentences grouped by meaning, two short dialogues, the most common mistakes with corrections, and a ten-question quiz with explained answers. If you want the full tables first, start with the full conjugation of regalar; if you want to study one tense in depth, see the regalar present tense page.

regalar in everyday use: examples with translations

Birthday and Christmas gifts

  1. Yo regalo un libro a mi madre. — "I give my mother a book as a gift."
  2. Nosotros regalamos libros en Navidad. — "We give books at Christmas."
  3. Ayer yo regalé flores a mi abuela. — "Yesterday I gave my grandmother flowers."
  4. De niño, yo regalaba dibujos a mi madre. — "As a child, I used to give my mother drawings."

Flowers and romantic gifts

  1. Mi novio regala flores cada semana. — "My boyfriend gives flowers every week."
  2. Ella regala bombones a sus amigas. — "She gives chocolates to her friends."
  3. Yo te regalaré un anillo en Navidad. — "I will give you a ring at Christmas."
  4. Yo he regalado tres libros este año. — "I have given three books as gifts this year."

Giving things away

  1. Nosotros regalamos la ropa vieja. — "We give away old clothes."
  2. Ellos regalan juguetes a los niños. — "They give toys to the children as gifts."
  3. Yo te regalaría un coche si pudiera. — "I would give you a car as a gift if I could."
  4. ¿Tú regalas un perfume a tu hermana? — "Do you give your sister a perfume as a gift?"

regalar in conversation

Two short dialogues that use regalar the way people really speak it. Notice how the verb changes with the person, and how the same verb fits different situations.

Choosing a birthday present.

  • Ana: Yo regalo un libro a mi madre. — "I give my mother a book as a gift."
  • Bea: ¿Tú regalas un perfume a tu hermana? — "Do you give your sister a perfume as a gift?"
  • Ana: Yo regalo flores a mi abuela. — "I give my grandmother flowers."
  • Bea: Yo te regalaré un anillo en Navidad. — "I will give you a ring at Christmas."

At Christmas, the family exchanges gifts.

  • Padre: Nosotros regalamos libros en Navidad. — "We give books at Christmas."
  • Madre: Papá Noel regala juguetes a los niños. — "Father Christmas gives toys to the children."
  • Padre: Ellos regalan juguetes a los niños. — "They give toys to the children as gifts."
  • Madre: Nosotros regalamos la ropa vieja. — "We give away old clothes."

Common mistakes with regalar

The errors learners actually make with regalar, each with the wrong form, the right form, and why the right form is right.

✗ *Yo regalo a un libro a mi madre (a before the gift).

✓ Correct: Yo regalo un libro a mi madre.

The gift is a direct object with no a: regalar un libro. The a belongs before the person: a mi madre.

✗ *Mi novio regala a flores.

✓ Correct: Mi novio regala flores cada semana.

Flowers are things: regalar flores, never regalar a flores.

✗ *Vosotros regaláis una bicicleta (written without the accent: regalais).

✓ Correct: Vosotros regaláis una bicicleta a vuestro hijo.

Regaláis needs the written accent on the á.

✗ *Nosotros regalamos la ropa vieja a (leaving a dangling a with no person after it).

✓ Correct: Nosotros regalamos la ropa vieja.

If there is no recipient, there is no a at all: regalar la ropa vieja. Add a + person only when someone receives the gift.

Quiz: regalar in use

Ten questions on regalar — its forms, its tenses and its everyday use. Choose the best answer for each one, then check the answer key below, where every answer is explained.

1. Complete the sentence: Yo ______ un libro a mi madre. — "I give my mother a book as a gift."

  • a) regalé
  • b) regalas
  • c) regala
  • d) regalo

2. Complete the sentence: Ayer yo ______ flores a mi abuela. — "Yesterday I gave my grandmother flowers."

  • a) regalaste
  • b) regaló
  • c) regalo
  • d) regalé

3. Complete the sentence: Ella ______ bombones a sus amigas. — "She gives chocolates to her friends."

  • a) regalo
  • b) regalas
  • c) regaló
  • d) regala

4. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ______ la ropa vieja. — "We give away old clothes."

  • a) regalamos
  • b) regalo
  • c) regalas
  • d) regalamos

5. Which is the correct present tense form of regalar for yo?

  • a) regalamos
  • b) regala
  • c) regalo
  • d) regalas

6. Which is the correct present tense form of regalar for tú?

  • a) regalo
  • b) regalamos
  • c) regalas
  • d) regala

7. Which is the correct present tense form of regalar for ellos/ellas/Uds.?

  • a) regalas
  • b) regalo
  • c) regalan
  • d) regala

8. Which sentence uses regalar correctly?

  • a) Nosotros regala libros en Navidad.
  • b) Nosotros regalábamos libros en Navidad.
  • c) Nosotros regalamos libros en Navidad.

9. What is the past participle of regalar?

  • a) regalado
  • b) regalo
  • c) regalando
  • d) regaló

10. What does regalar mean in English?

  • a) to have
  • b) to go
  • c) to give (a gift)
  • d) to give

Answer key

  1. d) regalo — The sentence needs the yo form in the present: regalo.

  2. d) regalé — The sentence needs the yo form in the preterite: regalé.

  3. d) regala — The sentence needs the él/ella/Ud. form in the present: regala.

  4. a) regalamos — The sentence needs the nosotros/as form in the present: regalamos.

  5. c) regalo — The present tense form for yo is regalo.

  6. c) regalas — The present tense form for tú is regalas.

  7. c) regalan — The present tense form for ellos/ellas/Uds. is regalan.

  8. c) Nosotros regalamos libros en Navidad. — Nosotros regalamos libros en Navidad. is correct. The other sentences use the wrong person, the wrong tense, or the wrong pattern for this verb.

  9. a) regalado — The past participle is regalado. You need it for every perfect tense with haber: he regalado, has regalado, ha regalado.

  10. c) to give (a gift) — regalar means "to give (a gift)".

Frequently asked questions

How do I use regalar in everyday conversation?

Start with the phrases in the examples above — especially the common combinations such as regalar un libro and regalar flores. Use the present tense for habits and general facts, and the preterite for things that happened once. Say the sentences aloud until the forms feel automatic, then swap in your own details: your own town, your own family, your own routine.

What is the difference between regalar and dar?

regalar means "to give (a gift)", while dar means "to give". They are related words that learners often meet together, but they are not interchangeable — use regalar when you mean "to give (a gift)" and dar when you mean "to give".

Which tense do I need most with regalar?

The present tense, for habits, routines and general facts — that is where you will use regalar most. The preterite comes next, for things that happened once and ended. The examples on this page use both, plus the imperfect, the future and the present perfect, so you can see the verb across the tenses you actually need.

Is regalar formal or informal?

regalar is neutral — it is used in both formal and informal Spanish, at home, at work and at school. There is no special formal version of it; the same forms work in a conversation with a friend and in a letter to a company. What changes is the situation, not the verb.

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