dar importância

The grammar here is actually quite simple once you see the pattern.

You will always use the verb dar (to give) followed by the noun importância.

Most importantly, you need the preposition a to show who is receiving the importance.

If you are talking to a guy, you say dar importância ao (a + o).

If you are talking about a girl or a thing, use dar importância à (a + a).

In a casual WhatsApp message, you might say: 'Não dê importância ao que ele disse.'

This translates to 'Don't give importance to what he said.'

You can also use it in the first person: 'Eu dou muita importância aos meus estudos.'

Notice how the verb dar changes just like it always does in other contexts.

It’s a very flexible tool that works in almost any tense you need.

Just don't give too much importance to getting the grammar perfect on day one!

Imagine you are at a fancy dinner and you accidentally drop your fork.

A Brazilian friend might whisper: 'Não dê importância, ninguém viu!'

They are telling you to stay cool because nobody actually noticed your clumsy move.

Or think about a job interview where they ask about your greatest values.

You could say: 'Eu dou muita importância à pontualidade e à organização.'

This shows the recruiter that you are professional and take your work seriously.

In the world of online dating, this phrase is used constantly during long chats.

'Eu dou importância às pequenas coisas,' is a classic Tinder bio cliché in Brazil.

It implies the person is sensitive and notices the little details in life.

On Netflix, you'll hear characters say this during dramatic breakups or heated arguments.

'Você não dá importância aos meus sentimentos!' is a line from every soap opera ever.

Basically, if it matters, you give it importance; if it doesn't, you don't.

Use this when you want to talk about your values or your distractions.

It is perfect for explaining why you are upset or why you are motivated.

In professional settings, use it to highlight your priorities or project goals.

'Devemos dar importância ao feedback do cliente,' sounds very professional and smart.

In casual settings, it’s great for giving advice to friends who are overthinking.

It’s also the go-to phrase for discussing social issues or political movements.

'A sociedade precisa dar mais importância à educação,' is a very common sentiment.

You can use it to describe your hobbies, like giving importance to your morning coffee.

Actually, giving importance to coffee is a requirement for surviving any Monday morning.

It works whenever there is a choice between caring and being indifferent.

Don't use dar importância if you just mean that you 'like' something.

For example, if you enjoy pizza, don't say you 'give importance to pizza.'

That makes it sound like the pizza is a serious academic subject or a crisis.

Also, avoid using it for physical size or physical weight in a literal sense.

If a box is heavy, it doesn't have 'importance' in that physical way.

It is also not a substitute for 'paying' for something with real money.

If you buy a car, you don't 'give importance' to the dealer to get it.

Be careful not to confuse it with fazer questão, which means to insist.

Saying 'Eu faço questão' means you are demanding something happen right now.

Dar importância is more about your internal feelings than your external demands.

Learners often try to translate 'to care' literally as cuidar, which is wrong here.

Cuidar means to take care of someone, like a baby or a pet.

Another big mistake is using the wrong preposition, like com instead of a.

Sometimes people use fazer (to make) instead of dar (to give).

While 'make important' works in English sometimes, it fails in Portuguese logic.

Don't forget the contraction when using a masculine or feminine noun afterward.

Saying dar importância a o trabalho sounds choppy; use ao trabalho instead.

It's like wearing socks with sandals—technically possible but visually painful for natives!

If you want to sound more casual, you can use the verb ligar.

'Eu não ligo' is the most common way to say 'I don't care.'

It’s short, punchy, and perfect for when you're slightly annoyed or indifferent.

Another alternative is fazer caso, which is a bit more old-fashioned or regional.

'Não faça caso dele' means 'don't pay any attention to him' or his antics.

Valorizar is a stronger verb that means 'to value' or 'to appreciate' someone.

Use valorizar when you want to show deep respect or professional recognition.

Prestar atenção is another cousin, but it specifically means 'to pay attention.'

You can pay attention to a lecture without necessarily giving it importance.

Think of dar importância as the emotional version of 'paying attention' to something.

You will often see the negative form: não dar a mínima importância.

This means you don't give the 'minimum' importance—basically zero care at all.

It is a great way to show that you are completely over a situation.

Another variation is dar muita importância, which means you are totally obsessed.

In Portugal, you might hear dar valor used in very similar contexts.

'Dá valor ao que tens' means 'Value what you have' or 'Give importance to it.'

You can also use the noun as a question: 'Que importância você dá a isso?'

This asks the other person how much they actually care about the topic.

It’s a deep question that might start a long, philosophical conversation over beer.

Is dar importância formal or informal? It is actually very neutral.

You can use it with your boss or your best friend without worry.

Can I use it for people? Yes, you can give importance to a person.

It means you value their presence or their opinion in your life.

Does it always mean something positive? Not necessarily, as it depends on context.

You can give too much importance to a problem, which is negative.

What is the opposite of this phrase? The most common opposite is desprezar.

Desprezar means to despise or completely disregard something as having no value.

Now, go out and give importance to your Portuguese practice today!