dándole
“dándole” means “giving it to him/her/you (formal)” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
giving it to him/her/you (formal)
Also: handing it over to him/her
📝 In Action
Ella estaba dándole la comida al perro cuando llegué.
A2She was giving the food to the dog when I arrived.
El profesor sigue dándole consejos a los estudiantes.
B1The professor keeps giving advice to the students.
Están dándole el premio al ganador en este momento.
A2They are giving the award to the winner right now.
working hard, going for it
Also: hitting it, driving fast
📝 In Action
¡Vamos, dale dándole! Solo quedan cinco minutos.
B1Come on, go for it! There are only five minutes left.
El DJ estaba dándole a la música toda la noche.
B2The DJ was really pumping the music all night.
El motor ya está calentando, ¡sigue dándole!
B1The engine is already warming up, keep hitting it (keep going/keep driving hard)!
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: dándole
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'dándole' in its idiomatic sense (meaning intensity or effort)?
📚 More Resources
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word 'dándole' is a compound form. It comes from the verb 'dar,' which originated from the Latin *dare* (meaning 'to give'). 'Dándole' is the gerund form 'dando' combined with the indirect object pronoun 'le.'
First recorded: The verb 'dar' is attested since the early days of Spanish (around the 10th century). The structure of attaching pronouns to gerunds has been standard Spanish grammar for centuries.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'dándole' have an accent mark?
The accent mark is necessary because when you attach pronouns to the gerund ('dando'), the stress naturally shifts to the end. The accent mark forces the stress back onto the vowel where it belongs ('dán-do-le') to maintain the correct pronunciation of the base gerund.
Can I separate 'dándole' into 'le dando'?
No. When the gerund follows the verb 'estar' (as in 'está dándole'), you have the choice to attach the pronoun ('dándole') or place it before 'estar' ('le está dando'). You cannot place the pronoun after 'estar' but before the gerund.