A blue cartoon character speaking clearly and directly to a red cartoon character who is listening intently.

dile

/DEE-lay/

Verb PhraseA1

tell him?referring to a male,tell her?referring to a female,tell you?formal 'usted'

Also:tell it?less common, referring to a pet or abstract idea

Quick Reference

infinitivedecir

gerunddiciendo

past Participledicho

📝 In Action

Dile la verdad.

Tell him/her the truth.

Si ves a Juan, dile que me llame.

If you see Juan, tell him to call me.

Dile a tu mamá que la quiero mucho.

Tell your mom that I love her a lot.

¿Qué te dijo? Anda, dile que no puedes ir.

What did he tell you? Go on, tell him you can't go.

Word Connections

Synonyms

cuéntale (tell him/her (like telling a story))
comunícale (communicate to him/her (more formal))

Antonyms

ocúltale (hide from him/her)
no le digas (don't tell him/her)

Common Collocations

dile la verdad – tell him/her the truth
dile que sí – tell him/her yes
dile que no – tell him/her no

💡 Grammar Points

Two Words in One: A Command + Who It's For

'Dile' is actually two words squished together: 'di' (the command 'tell' for a friend) and 'le' (which means 'to him' or 'to her'). In Spanish, when you give a positive command, you stick words like 'le' right onto the end of the verb.

Who is 'le'?

The 'le' part is a bit of a chameleon. It can mean 'to him,' 'to her,' or even 'to you' (if you're talking to someone formally, as 'usted'). You'll know who it is from the context of the conversation.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Separating the Words

Mistake: "Di le la respuesta."

Correction: Dile la respuesta. For positive commands, the pronoun always gets attached directly to the verb, making it one word.

Using 'lo' or 'la' Instead of 'le'

Mistake: "Dilo que venga. (Trying to say 'Tell him to come')"

Correction: Dile que venga. Use 'le' when you're telling *something to someone*. 'Le' points to the person receiving the message. 'Lo' or 'la' would be for the message itself (e.g., 'El secreto... dilo' -> 'The secret... say it').

⭐ Usage Tips

How to Say 'Don't Tell Him/Her'

To make the command negative, the words separate and change their form. You say: 'No le digas.' Notice how 'di' becomes 'digas' and 'le' moves to the front, before the verb.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: dile

Question 1 of 1

Your friend asks you to pass a message to Maria. Which is the correct way to say 'Tell her to wait'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

decir(to say, to tell) - verb

dicho(a saying, a proverb) - noun

contradecir(to contradict) - verb

diccionario(dictionary) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'dile' and 'dime'?

They are both commands from the verb 'decir' (to tell), but they are for different people. 'Dile' means 'tell him/her' (the 'le' part is for 'him/her'). 'Dime' means 'tell me' (the 'me' part is for 'me').

Can 'dile' mean 'tell you'?

Yes, it can. In situations where you are speaking formally to someone using 'usted', 'dile' is the correct command. For example, a boss might say to an employee: 'Señor Pérez, dile a la recepcionista que venga.' (Mr. Perez, tell the receptionist to come.) The command is for Mr. Perez ('usted'). So, 'dile' covers 'him', 'her', and 'you (formal)'.