Tell Me in Spanish | Natural Phrases That Sound Right

The most common way to say it is “dime” for casual speech and “dígame” when you want a polite tone.

You’ll see “tell me” translated as dime all over Spanish learning apps, and it’s a solid start. Still, native Spanish doesn’t treat “tell me” as one fixed phrase. The best choice shifts with tone (casual vs. polite), what you’re asking for (a fact, a story, a secret), and how direct you want to sound.

This article gives you the clean, real-life options people use most. You’ll get quick ways to pick the right phrase, plus the grammar bits that stop you from sounding stiff or accidental-rude.

What “Tell Me” Really Means In Daily Spanish

In English, “tell me” can do a lot of jobs. Spanish splits those jobs into different verbs and set phrases. If you pick the verb that matches your intent, your Spanish starts sounding natural fast.

When you want a simple answer

If you’re asking for information, Spanish often sticks with forms of decir (“to say/tell”). That’s where dime and dígame live. If you want to double-check the base verb and its forms, the Royal Spanish Academy’s dictionary entry for decir is the standard reference: RAE “decir” entry.

When you want a story or details

If you mean “tell me about your trip” or “tell me what happened,” Spanish often prefers contar (“to tell, to recount”) or cuéntame (“tell me”). It feels more like “walk me through it.”

When you want someone to speak honestly

“Tell me the truth” usually becomes dime la verdad or dígame la verdad. You’ll hear this in serious talks, but it can land heavy if your tone is sharp. Adding a softener like por favor can keep it calm.

When you’re asking for an opinion

English “tell me what you think” maps cleanly to dime qué piensas (casual) or dígame qué piensa (polite). For close friends, you’ll also hear a ver at the start: A ver, dime qué piensas (“Alright, tell me what you think”).

Tell Me in Spanish For Real-Life Situations

Most of the time, you’re choosing between two lanes:

• Casual (tú):dime, cuéntame
• Polite (usted):dígame, cuénteme

Then you fine-tune based on what you want: a fact, a plan, a reason, a story, or a straight answer.

Casual phrases you can use right away

These fit friends, close coworkers, classmates, and most people your age in relaxed settings.

• Dime. (Tell me.)
• Dime qué pasó. (Tell me what happened.)
• Dime la verdad. (Tell me the truth.)
• Cuéntame. (Tell me about it / Tell me.)
• Cuéntame más. (Tell me more.)

Polite phrases that don’t sound stiff

Use these with older adults, formal service settings, interviews, officials, and anyone you want to treat with extra respect.

• Dígame. (Tell me.)
• Dígame, por favor. (Tell me, please.)
• Dígame qué pasó. (Tell me what happened.)
• Cuénteme un poco. (Tell me a bit.)

A small accent mark that changes everything

Dime doesn’t need an accent. Dígame does. In writing, that accent helps your reader see the stress pattern right away. If you’re typing on a phone, holding the vowel key usually brings up the accented option.

Picking The Right Phrase By What You Want

Try this quick mental check. Ask yourself what “tell me” is doing in your sentence.

If you want information

Start with dime / dígame. Add what you need right after.

• Dime tu nombre. (Tell me your name.)
• Dígame su nombre. (Tell me your name.)
• Dime la hora. (Tell me the time.)

If you want a reason

Dime por qué is the common base. Keep your tone gentle if the topic is sensitive.

• Dime por qué. (Tell me why.)
• Dígame por qué. (Tell me why.)

If you want details or a story

Switch to cuéntame / cuénteme. It signals “give me the full version.”

• Cuéntame qué pasó.
• Cuénteme qué pasó.

If you want “tell me more”

Más is the clean add-on.

• Dime más.
• Cuéntame más.
• Dígame más.

Now let’s put all that into a simple, scan-friendly set of choices.

Common Uses And The Best Spanish Fits

The table below groups “tell me” by intent, then gives you the Spanish that sounds right most of the time.

What you mean	Casual (tú)	Polite (usted)
Tell me (basic prompt)	Dime.	Dígame.
Tell me your name	Dime tu nombre.	Dígame su nombre.
Tell me what happened	Dime qué pasó.	Dígame qué pasó.
Tell me why	Dime por qué.	Dígame por qué.
Tell me more	Cuéntame más.	Cuénteme más.
Tell me the truth	Dime la verdad.	Dígame la verdad.
Tell me about your day	Cuéntame tu día.	Cuénteme su día.
Tell me what you think	Dime qué piensas.	Dígame qué piensa.
Tell me when you arrive	Dime cuándo llegas.	Dígame cuándo llega.
Tell me if you need help	Dime si necesitas ayuda.	Dígame si necesita ayuda.
Tell me your address	Dime tu dirección.	Dígame su dirección.
Tell me what you want	Dime qué quieres.	Dígame qué quiere.

Where People Slip Up With “Dime” And “Dígame”

Most mistakes come from two spots: formality and pronoun placement.

Mixing tú and usted in the same line

If you start polite, stay polite in that sentence.

• Casual:Dime tu nombre.
• Polite:Dígame su nombre.

Putting “me” in the wrong place

In affirmative commands, Spanish attaches the pronoun to the end: di + me = dime, dé + me = deme, diga + me = dígame. That “stick it on the end” rule is a big reason these forms feel like single words.

If you want the official grammar explanation for pronouns with commands, the Royal Spanish Academy’s grammar section on imperatives lays it out: RAE grammar on imperatives and pronouns.

Negative commands flip the pattern

English still says “tell me,” but Spanish changes shape with negation. The pronoun goes before the verb:

• No me digas. (Don’t tell me.)
• No me diga. (Don’t tell me.)

If you like seeing the rule stated plainly with examples, Instituto Cervantes has a short explanation that shows pronouns placed after affirmative imperatives: Instituto Cervantes note on imperatives and pronouns.

Casual Vs. Polite Commands You’ll Use Most

This is the practical core. If you learn this chart and you’ll cover most “tell me” moments without thinking too hard.

Who you’re talking to	Affirmative	Negative
tú (casual)	Dime.	No me digas.
usted (polite)	Dígame.	No me diga.
ustedes (polite or group)	Díganme.	No me digan.
vosotros/vosotras (Spain group)	Decidme.	No me digáis.

Texting And Quick Replies That Sound Natural

In messages, Spanish often drops extra words the way English does. People keep the core verb and add a short cue.

Mini prompts

• Dime. (Go on.)
• A ver, dime. (Alright, tell me.)
• Dime ya. (Tell me now.)
• Dime la neta. (Mexico: tell me straight.)

Softening a direct ask

Spanish can sound more direct than English when you translate word-for-word. If you want a warmer feel, add a small softener:

• Oye, dime… (Hey, tell me…)
• Cuando puedas, dime… (When you can, tell me…)
• Por favor, dígame… (Please, tell me…)

Regional Notes That Keep You From Overthinking

Spanish varies by region, yet the “tell me” core stays steady.

• Most places:dime (casual), dígame (polite)
• Spain groups:decidme exists, but you’ll still hear dime one-on-one
• Voseo areas (Argentina, Uruguay, parts of Central America): you may hear decime (still “tell me”), alongside dime in mixed settings

If you’re learning for travel or work, stick with dime and dígame. People will understand you everywhere.

Quick Practice Set You Can Reuse

Read these out loud. Then swap the final noun or clause to match your life. This is the fastest path to fluency with this phrase family.

Five casual starters

• Dime tu nombre.
• Dime qué pasó.
• Dime por qué.
• Dime cuándo llegas.
• Cuéntame más.

Five polite starters

• Dígame su nombre, por favor.
• Dígame qué pasó.
• Dígame por qué.
• Dígame cuándo llega.
• Cuénteme un poco.

Checklist For Choosing The Right “Tell Me” Phrase

If you want a simple decision rule, use this:

• If you want a fact or a direct answer, pick dime / dígame.
• If you want a story, pick cuéntame / cuénteme.
• If you’re saying “don’t tell me,” use no me digas / no me diga.
• If you’re unsure about formality, go polite. It rarely offends.

Once you lock those in, “tell me” stops being a translation problem. It becomes a set of small, flexible tools you can use in a hundred conversations.