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How to Say "tell her" in Spanish

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dile

/DEE-lay//ˈdi.le/

Verb PhraseA1Informal
Use 'dile' when you are giving a direct, informal command to a female person, like telling a friend or family member something.
A blue cartoon character speaking clearly and directly to a red cartoon character who is listening intently.

Examples

Dile que venga a la fiesta.

Tell her to come to the party.

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.

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.

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').

dígale

Verb (Compound Command)B1Formal
Use 'dígale' when you are giving a formal command to a third party, meaning you are telling someone else (like a boss or stranger) to tell her something.

Examples

Dígale a la recepcionista que tengo una cita.

Tell the receptionist (formal) that I have an appointment.

Informal vs. Formal Commands

The most common mistake is using the informal 'dile' when a formal situation calls for 'dígale', or vice-versa. Remember, 'dile' is a direct command to the person you're speaking to (informal), while 'dígale' is often used when telling someone else to relay a message.

Related Translations

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