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dentro

DEN-troh/ˈden.tɾo/

“dentro” means “inside” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

inside

Also: indoors
A single red wooden block resting clearly on the bottom floor inside a large, open blue wooden crate, illustrating the concept of 'inside'.

📝 In Action

Hace frío, vamos a jugar dentro.

A1

It's cold, let's play inside.

Por favor, espere dentro.

A2

Please, wait inside.

Miró hacia dentro, pero no vio a nadie.

B1

He looked inside, but he didn't see anyone.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • adentro (inside (often implying motion))

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • quedarse dentro – to stay inside
  • por dentro – on the inside

inside of, in

Also: within
A set of shiny silver car keys resting on the driver's seat inside an open, simplified red toy car, illustrating 'inside of' a specific object.

📝 In Action

Las llaves están dentro del coche.

A2

The keys are inside the car.

La reunión empieza dentro de cinco minutos.

B1

The meeting starts in five minutes.

Debes completar la tarea dentro de una semana.

B1

You must complete the task within a week.

Hay mucha alegría dentro de esta casa.

B2

There is a lot of joy inside this house.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • dentro de poco – soon / in a little while
  • dentro de lo que cabe – all things considered / within reason
  • dentro de un rato – in a little while

🔀 Commonly Confused With

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "dentro" in Spanish:

in→indoors→inside→inside of→within→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: dentro

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence is correct?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin phrase 'de intro', which literally means 'from within'. Over time, the two words merged together in Spanish to become 'dentro'.

First recorded: Around the 12th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: dentroCatalan: dins

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'dentro' and 'adentro'?

They're very similar! 'Dentro' is more of a general location ('Estamos dentro' - We are inside). 'Adentro' often suggests movement *into* a place ('¡Vamos adentro!' - Let's go inside!). If you're ever unsure, 'dentro' is usually the safer bet.

Can I just say 'en' instead of 'dentro de'?

Sometimes, but 'dentro de' is often clearer. To say 'The keys are in the car,' you can say 'Las llaves están en el coche.' But 'Las llaves están dentro del coche' emphasizes that they are physically *inside* it. For time, like 'in 5 minutes,' 'dentro de 5 minutos' is the most common and correct way to say it.