darse la mano
/ˌdaɾse la ˈmano/
To say 'shake hands' in Spanish, use darse la mano.
The phrase darse la mano is used for both formal greetings and for sealing an agreement or deal.
Meaning: grasp another person's hands (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, darse la mano means 'to give each other the hand'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the phrase darse la mano is commonly used to convey 'shake hands'.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because the verb is reflexive (darse), you must use reflexive pronouns like 'se' or 'nos' to indicate the action is reciprocal, as seen in the phrase se dieron la mano (they shook hands).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌdaɾse la ˈmano/
Did you know?
- The word mano shares its distant Proto-Indo-European roots with the English word 'beckon'. This suggests that the very origin of the word for 'hand' is tied to the ancient act of signaling or waving.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, a handshake is often accompanied by a light touch on the other person's forearm or shoulder. This physical connection is seen as a sign of warmth and sincerity rather than just a formal greeting.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, a handshake is often followed by the dos besos, or two kisses on the cheeks, depending on the level of formality.
Examples in context
- Podemos estrecharnos la mano como saludo formal.We can shake hands as a formal greeting.
- Es costumbre dar la mano al conocer a alguien en esta reunión.It is customary to shake hands when meeting someone at this gathering.
- Nos saludamos chocando los cinco en vez de estrecharnos la mano.We greet each other by giving high-fives instead of shaking hands.
- En nuestra familia, nos saludamos con un apretón de manos cuando nos vemos.In our family, we greet each other with a handshake when we see each other.
- Cuando llegamos a la reunión, nos damos la mano como saludo.When we arrive at the meeting, we shake hands as a greeting.
- Al final de la negociación, ambas partes se estrecharon las manos cordialmente.At the end of the negotiation, both parties warmly shook hands.
- Deben darse la mano para cerrar el trato.They must shake hands to close the deal.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shake hands” translations and entries darse la mano, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries la, mano, CC BY-SA 4.0.
