dame un minuto
/dame un minuto/from spelling rules
In Spanish, 'give me a minute' is translated as dame un minuto.
This phrase is a request for a short amount of time to finish a task or to think before responding. You can also substitute un minuto with un momento to say 'give me a moment', which is very common.
What does it mean word for word?
The word dame is a combination of the imperative verb da and the indirect object pronoun me.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Dame un minuto is an informal phrase that uses the 'tú' imperative, making it appropriate for use with friends, family or peers. For a more formal and courteous way to say 'allow me a minute', you should use Permítame un minuto. Additionally, Espera un cachito is an informal and affectionate way to say 'wait a little bit', while Espera un rato is an informal way to say 'wait a while'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The component dame functions as the imperative 'give' combined with the pronoun 'me'.
How do you pronounce it?
/dame un minuto/
Did you know?
- In a very casual setting, particularly in Argentina, you might hear someone say dame un toque to mean 'give me a second'. This is a much more slangy and rhythmic way to ask for a brief pause.
- If you are in Mexico or parts of Central America, you might hear dame un segundito or dame un momentito. Adding the diminutive suffix -ito makes the request sound much softer and more polite to the listener's ear.
- The word minuto shares a distant Latin ancestor with the Spanish word menudo. While minuto refers to time, menudo often refers to something small or a type of soup, both stemming from the idea of something 'small'.
Examples in context
- Solo dame un minuto.Just give me a minute.Tatoeba #3469167 by cueyayotl, translation #3151361 by CK
- Dame un minuto, ¿vale?Give me a minute, OK?Tatoeba #4781529 by alegarvid, translation #3151538 by CK
- Casi he terminado. Dame un minuto.I'm almost done. Just give me a minute.Tatoeba #871128 by Shishir, translation #680158 by Source_VOA
- Dame un minuto, necesito revisar mis notasGive me a minute, I need to review my notes
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel is waiting for Elena to finish sending an email.
- ElenaDaniel, dame un minuto.Daniel, give me a minute.
- Daniel¿Todavía te falta mucho?Do you have much left?
- ElenaNo, ya casi termino.No, I am almost finished.
- DanielEstá bien, te espero.Alright, I'll wait for you.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries minuto, un, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
