dé/des/dé/demos/den

Subjunctive of Dar

Level 3

The present subjunctive forms of 'dar' (to give) are dé, des, dé, demos, deis, den. They are used after expressions of will, emotion, doubt, and other subjunctive triggers.

How It Works

The verb dar (to give) is one of the key irregular verbs in the present subjunctive. While it's an -ar verb, it doesn't follow the standard conjugation pattern.

Conjugation Table:

  • (yo) dé
  • (tú) des
  • (él/ella/usted) dé
  • (nosotros/as) demos
  • (vosotros/as) deis
  • (ellos/ellas/ustedes) den

Key Point: The Accent on 'dé'
The accent mark on dé is crucial. It's a diacritical accent used to distinguish the verb form from the preposition de (of, from).

  • Dé (verb): Espero que me dé el libro. (I hope he gives me the book.)
  • De (preposition): El libro es de María. (The book is from María.)

Like other subjunctive forms, the subjunctive of 'dar' is used after triggers expressing will, emotion, doubt, or impersonality.

Examples of Usage:

  • Will/Desire: Quiero que me des un consejo. (I want you to give me some advice.)
  • Emotion: Me alegra que le den una oportunidad. (I'm happy they are giving him a chance.)
  • Impersonal Expression: Es importante que demos nuestra opinión. (It's important that we give our opinion.)
  • Doubt: Dudo que nos dé tiempo. (I doubt it will give us time.)

Examples (5)

  1. Espero que me des tu número de teléfono.

    I hope you give me your phone number.

    Word by Word: I hope that me you-give your number of telephone.

  2. El profesor quiere que le demos la tarea mañana.

    The teacher wants us to give him the homework tomorrow.

    Word by Word: The teacher wants that him we-give the homework tomorrow.

  3. ¡Ojalá nos den buenas noticias!

    I hope they give us good news!

    Word by Word: Hopefully us they-give good news!

  4. No creo que te dé tiempo a terminar.

    I don't think it will give you time to finish.

    Word by Word: Not I-believe that you it-gives time to finish.

  5. Es necesario que usted le dé el documento al gerente.

    It is necessary that you (formal) give the document to the manager.

    Word by Word: It-is necessary that you (formal) him give the document to-the manager.

Common Mistakes

  • Forgetting the accent on 'dé'

    Espero que él me de el libro.
    Espero que él me dé el libro.

    The form 'dé' (from 'dar') requires an accent to distinguish it from the preposition 'de' (of/from). Without the accent, 'de' is a different word.

  • Using the indicative form instead of the subjunctive

    Mi mamá quiere que le doy un abrazo.
    Mi mamá quiere que le dé un abrazo.

    Verbs expressing will or desire, like 'querer que', trigger the subjunctive mood. You must use the subjunctive form 'dé', not the indicative form 'doy'.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

dé/des/dé/demos/denLevel 3Subjunctive of Dar

Learn This First

To understand the subjunctive forms of 'dar' (dé, des, dé, etc.), a learner needs to be familiar with the general concept of the present subjunctive and its standard endings. Since 'dar' is one of the few verbs that requires an orthographic accent in the subjunctive to distinguish it from the preposition 'de', understanding its conjugation alongside other irregular verbs is crucial.

Words in This Pattern

dar