The preterite of darse is used to express a specific moment of realization in the past. For example, you might say “I realized my mistake during the meeting,” indicating the exact moment of understanding.
This is an irregular reflexive verb based on ‘dar’. Its conjugations follow the irregular pattern of ‘dar’ while using the appropriate reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nos).
Conjugations
Conjugations of Darse (to occur/realize) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | me di |
| Tú | te diste |
| Él / Ella / Usted | se dio |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | nos dimos |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | se dieron |
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We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Darse (to occur/realize) in the Preterite (Past) Tense to help you learn faster.
Pro Tip: Play the audio on a loop as you study the chart. This repetition will solidify the correct conjugations in your memory.
Usage of Darse in the Preterite (Past) Tense
The preterite of darse describes a completed reflexive action of giving oneself or realizing in the past.
To realize: Describes becoming aware of something, for example Me di cuenta de mi error (I realized my mistake) or Se dio cuenta de la verdad (He/she realized the truth).
To surrender/give up: Used for giving in or surrendering, for example Se dio por vencido (He/she gave up).
Examples
Examples of Darse in the Preterite (Past) Tense
Me di cuenta de mi error. (I realized my mistake.)Se dio por vencido después de intentarlo. (He gave up after trying.)Nos dimos un abrazo de despedida. (We gave each other a goodbye hug.)Te diste la vuelta y te fuiste. (You turned around and left.)Se dieron la mano al llegar a un acuerdo. (They shook hands when reaching an agreement.)Me di prisa para llegar a tiempo. (I hurried to arrive on time.)Se dio el lujo de viajar primera clase. (They treated themselves to first class travel.)Ustedes se dieron cuenta de la situación. (You all realized the situation.)Nos dimos el gusto de celebrar. (We treated ourselves to a celebration.)Te diste el tiempo para reflexionar. (You took the time to reflect.)Se dieron una oportunidad de reconciliarse. (They gave themselves a chance to reconcile.)Me di el permiso de descansar. (I gave myself permission to rest.)Se dio a conocer la noticia. (The news became known.)Nos dimos cuenta de la verdad. (We realized the truth.)Se dieron por satisfechos con el resultado. (They were satisfied with the result.)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Darse (to occur/realize) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo me di | I realized |
| Tú te diste | You realized |
| Él / Ella / Usted se dio | He / She / You realized |
| Nosotros / Nosotras nos dimos | We realized |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes se dieron | They / You all realized |
This post covers Latin American Spanish. For Castilian Spanish, click here
Synonyms
The Preterite tense is also known as the Simple Past, Past Simple, Definite Past, Absolute Past, or Past Tense Indicative in English, and as Pretérito Perfecto Simple, Pretérito Indefinido, Pretérito Simple, Pasado Simple, or Pretérito de Indicativo in Spanish.