question about dar
I have a question about the word dar. 1. Por favor, dále un juguete. (A adult said to a kid) 2. Por favor, déle un boligrafo.(A woman said to a waiter) Why it is dále in the first sentence and déle in the second one? My guess is that the first one is an order, so it is has a degree of certainty.(so it is invicative mood) While in the second situation it is a requst so it is not so certain(so subjunctive mood)....?
Thanks a lot 
1 Answer
Actually, you are close, but not quite.
"Da" as in "Dále" (which has the accent to preserve the stress) is the familiar "tú" command. Since the adult is saying it to a kid, s/he is using the familiar form of you. So your sentence 1 translates: "Please give him/her a toy."
"Dé" as in "Déle" (Which is accented to differentiate it from the preposition "de") is the "usted" command form. Since the woman doesn't know the waiter, she is on formal terms with him, so she uses "ousted" with him. So sentence 2 translates: "Please give him a pen."
So, in short they are both command forms, with the same amount of certainty, just that they are commands given to different people with differing degrees of familiarity.
