A group of people together handing a single bright red apple to a smiling person.

denle

DEN-leh

verbA2irregular ar

give it/him/her?commanding a group to give something

Also:hit it/him/her?informal instruction to strike something,go ahead / start?encouragement to begin an action

Quick Reference

gerunddando

past Participledado

infinitivedar

📝 In Action

Si ven a Juan, denle las llaves.

If you all see Juan, give him the keys.

¡Denle un fuerte aplauso!

Give him/her a big round of applause!

¿Quieren jugar? Pues, ¡denle!

Do you want to play? Well, go for it!

Word Connections

Synonyms

entréguenle (hand it to him/her)

Antonyms

quítenle (take it away from him/her)

Common Collocations

denle la bienvenida – welcome him/her
denle las gracias – thank him/her

Idioms & Expressions

darle duro – to work very hard or hit hard

💡 Grammar Points

A Two-in-One Word

This word is a combination of 'den' (the command for 'you all' to give) and 'le' (meaning 'to him/her').

Pronoun Placement

In Spanish, when you tell someone to do something (a command), you attach the person receiving the action to the end of the verb.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Single vs. Group

Mistake: "Using 'denle' when talking to one person."

Correction: Use 'dele' for one person and 'denle' for a group of people.

⭐ Usage Tips

Who is 'le'?

Since 'le' can mean him, her, or even a formal 'you,' context is key. If it's unclear, you can add 'a Juan' or 'a ella' after the verb.

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesdieran

yodiera

túdieras

vosotrosdierais

nosotrosdiéramos

él/ella/usteddiera

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesden

yodé

túdes

vosotrosdeis

nosotrosdemos

él/ella/usteddé

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesdieron

yodi

túdiste

vosotrosdisteis

nosotrosdimos

él/ella/usteddio

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesdaban

yodaba

túdabas

vosotrosdabais

nosotrosdábamos

él/ella/usteddaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesdan

yodoy

túdas

vosotrosdais

nosotrosdamos

él/ella/ustedda

View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: denle

Question 1 of 1

If you are talking to a group of friends and want them to give a gift to Sarah, what do you say?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

dar(to give) - verb

dador(giver) - noun

donar(to donate) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'dele' and 'denle'?

'Dele' is used when you are giving a command to one person (formal 'you'). 'Denle' is used when you are speaking to two or more people.

Can 'denle' mean 'hit him'?

Yes, in many Spanish-speaking countries, it is used colloquially to mean 'hit it' or 'strike it', such as when hitting a piñata.