darse cuenta

One of the most common reflexive phrases in Spanish, meaning to notice or realize — darse cuenta de algo. It takes de before a noun or clause (darse cuenta de que...) and is the everyday go-to for "realize," much more natural in speech than the more formal realizar (which actually means "to carry out," not "to realize" — a classic false-friend trap).

• No me di cuenta de que era tan tarde. — I didn't realize it was so late.
• ¿Te diste cuenta del error en el informe? — Did you notice the mistake in the report?
• Se dio cuenta de todo demasiado tarde. — He realized everything too late.

English speakers often reach for realizar to mean "realize" — but realizar means to carry out or accomplish (realizar un sueño, to fulfill a dream), not to become aware of something. Darse cuenta (de) is the correct choice for that meaning.

Often confused with realizar.