Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Dime In English: Tell Me — Understanding the Spanish Word Dime
Dime · verb · DEE-meh
Dime is a Spanish imperative form meaning 'tell me,' formed from the verb decir (to say/tell) plus the pronoun me. It is unrelated to the English coin called a dime.
DEE-meh
Dime la verdad, ¿qué pasó anoche?
Tell me the truth, what happened last night?
Dime In English in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for dime in english, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| dime | dime in english | DEE-meh | Default, widely understood |
| cuéntame | dime in english | when asking someone to tell you a story | |
| decime | dime in english | Argentina, Uruguay (voseo) |
How Native Speakers Use Dime
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Direct request
Dime tu nombre, por favor.
Tell me your name, please.
Meeting someone new and asking for their name.
Phone greeting
¿Dime? ¿Quién habla?
Hello? Who's speaking?
Answering the phone in Spain, where ¿Dime? is a standard greeting.
Curiosity
Dime qué piensas sobre la propuesta.
Tell me what you think about the proposal.
Soliciting someone's opinion at a meeting.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Dime
Confusing Spanish dime with the English coin
Incorrect: I paid with a dime (meaning: I told someone).
Correct: Dime in Spanish means 'tell me,' not the ten-cent coin.
Spanish dime (DEE-meh) comes from decir + me and means 'tell me' — it has no connection to the English word dime (a ten-cent coin).
Using dime with usted incorrectly
Incorrect: Dime usted su dirección.
Correct: Dígame su dirección.
Dime is the tú (informal) imperative; when speaking formally with usted, use dígame instead.
Lock in Dime In English Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Dime used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using dime in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Dime la verdad, ¿qué pasó anoche? while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
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Common Questions About Dime In English in Spanish
- What does dime mean in English?
- In Spanish, dime translates to 'tell me' — it is the informal imperative of decir (to tell) combined with the pronoun me.
- Why do people in Spain answer the phone with ¿Dime?
- In Spain, ¿Dime? (literally 'tell me') is a standard way to answer the phone, essentially inviting the caller to state their purpose, similar to saying 'go ahead' in English.
- How is dime different from cuéntame?
- Dime is a quick, direct 'tell me' for information or answers, while cuéntame invites someone to narrate or share a longer story — think 'tell me your address' (dime) versus 'tell me about your trip' (cuéntame).