What is the difference between using "percatarse" and "darse cuenta"?

Question

Or do they both mean "to realize'?

welcome to the forum ! - 00b6f46c, Aug 9, 2010

I fixed your title for you. - Gekkosan, Aug 9, 2010

Answer 1

They have the same meaning:

Percatar.

(De per- y catar, examinar, considerar).

1. intr. Advertir, considerar, cuidar. U. t. c. prnl.

2. prnl. Darse cuenta clara de algo, tomar conciencia de ello. No se percató de su error.

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Right. - Gekkosan, Aug 10, 2010

Answer 2

If they in fact have the same meaning, when would one be used instead of the other? I have never heard the word percatarse used in conversation, so I'm guessing it's regional.

Agreed. Darse cuenta is used a lot, never heard percatarse in conversation. - jeezzle, Aug 10, 2010

Answer 3

Thanks for all the answers. Very helpful!

Answer 4

I'm not sure whether this is just how people use it rather than the actual technical meaning but it seems to me 'darse cuenta' is used as closer to 'realize' than it is to 'notice'.

So perhaps percatarse would be used more as 'to notice'.

Although I guess that's a thin line, in English I would use realize more for a situation but notice more for something I could see with my eyes ????

Answer 5

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