Historia del vendedor de sombreros y los monos

What does “dar una patada” mean in Spanish?

Dar una patada means “to kick.” Word for word it is “to give a kick,” and that reveals a very common Spanish habit: instead of one verb, Spanish often uses dar (“to give”) plus a noun to name an action. So a kick is una patada, and you “give” it. This pattern is everywhere, so spotting it once helps you understand many phrases.

In the story el vendedor dio una patada al árbol (“the seller kicked the tree”). The same shape gives dar un paso (“to take a step”), dar un abrazo (“to give a hug”), and dar una vuelta (“to take a walk”). Note you add a for the target: patada al árbol.