di
“di” means “say” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
say, tell
📝 In Action
Di tu nombre, por favor.
A1Say your name, please.
¡Di la verdad ahora mismo!
A2Tell the truth right now!
Si no te gusta, di algo.
B1If you don't like it, say something.
I gave
Also: I took, I threw
📝 In Action
Ayer le di el libro a María.
A2Yesterday I gave the book to María.
Di un paseo por el parque esta mañana.
B1I took a walk through the park this morning.
Di mi opinión en la reunión, pero no escucharon.
B1I gave my opinion in the meeting, but they didn't listen.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: di
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'di' to mean 'I gave'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
'Di' has two separate origins from Latin. As the command 'say!', it comes from the verb *dicere* ('to say'). As 'I gave', it comes from the verb *dare* ('to give'). Over centuries, two completely different words ended up looking and sounding exactly the same in these specific, common forms.
First recorded: Both forms have existed since Old Spanish, developing from their Latin roots.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'di' have two completely different meanings?
It's a coincidence of language evolution! 'Di' as 'say!' comes from the verb 'decir', and 'di' as 'I gave' comes from the verb 'dar'. Over hundreds of years, these two specific forms just happened to become identical. You always figure out the meaning from the rest of the sentence.
Is 'di' formal or informal?
It depends on the meaning. The command 'di' (say/tell) is always informal, used with friends or family ('tú'). The past tense 'di' (I gave) is neutral; it can be used in any situation, formal or informal, because it's just talking about what 'I' did.