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A brightly colored storybook illustration showing a young girl leaning in and whispering a visible, small, glowing yellow sphere of information directly into the ear of a young boy, who is listening intently.

decírselo

deh-SEER-seh-loh

Verb (Compound Infinitive)B1Irregular (based on 'decir') ir
to tell it to him/her?Combines the action of telling, the thing being told (it), and the recipient (him/her/you formal/them).,to say it to them?Used when the recipient is plural (them).
Also:to communicate it to you (formal)?When 'se' refers to 'usted' or 'ustedes'.

Quick Reference

infinitivedecir
gerunddiciéndoselo
past Participledicho

📝 In Action

Necesito decírselo antes de que se vaya.

A2

I need to tell it to him/her before he/she leaves.

¿Vas a decírselo tú o lo hago yo?

B1

Are you going to tell it to them, or should I do it?

Era tan importante que tuve que decírselo de inmediato.

B2

It was so important that I had to tell it to him immediately.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • comunicárselo (to communicate it to him/her)
  • informárselo (to inform him/her of it)

💡 Grammar Points

The Three-Part Structure

This word is the base verb 'decir' (to tell) plus two small words attached: 'se' (to him/her/them) and 'lo' (it). It always means 'to tell it to someone'.

The 'Se' Rule (The Replacement)

The 'se' here is a special replacement. You cannot say decirlelo (to tell him/her it). When you have both 'le' (to him/her) and 'lo' (it) together, 'le' always changes to 'se'. This is called the 'se-lo' rule.

Accent Mark Requirement

When you attach two or more pronouns to an infinitive verb like 'decir', you must add an accent mark (tílde) over the original stressed syllable ('i' in 'decir') to keep the pronunciation correct: de-CÍR-se-lo.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Incorrect Pronoun Order

Mistake: "Voy a lo se decir."

Correction: Voy a decírselo. (The small words must attach to the infinitive, or come before the conjugated verb.)

Forgetting the Accent

Mistake: "Decirselo"

Correction: Decírselo. (Without the accent, the stress shifts to the 'e', which sounds unnatural: 'decirseLO' instead of 'deCÍRselo'.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Placement Flexibility

You can either attach the pronouns to the infinitive (decírselo) or put them before the conjugated verb that controls it: 'Te lo quiero decir' or 'Quiero decírtelo'. Since 'decírselo' is an infinitive, it usually follows a conjugated verb like 'querer' or 'necesitar'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: decírselo

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'decírselo'?

📚 More Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does 'decírselo' have an accent mark?

The accent mark is needed because the pronouns 'se' and 'lo' are attached to the end of the infinitive 'decir'. This shifts the word from two syllables to four, and the accent ensures the stress stays on the last syllable of the base verb, just like in 'decir'.

Does 'decírselo' always mean 'to tell it to him'?

Yes, the core meaning is 'to tell *it* to *someone*'. The 'someone' can be him, her, them, or you (formal/usted), depending on the context, because 'se' covers all those possibilities.