What does it mean word for word?
The phrase dame eso is composed of the imperative verb da (give), the indirect object pronoun me (to me) and the demonstrative pronoun eso (that).
Which one should you use?
While dame eso is used to refer to an object that is relatively close to the listener, you should use dame aquello if the object is much further away from both the speaker and the listener.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Dame eso is an informal way to say 'give me that' because it uses the informal tú form of the verb. It is appropriate for use with friends, family or people your own age. For a more polite request, you can use Dame eso, por favor to add politeness to an informal request. If you need to be formal, use Deme eso, which uses the formal usted pronoun or Puede darme eso, por favor to ask, 'Can you give me that, please?'
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain parts of Latin America, the informal phrase Agárrame eso can be used to mean 'give me that'.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you want to say 'give it to me' when referring to a specific object, you attach the object pronoun lo to the end of the command to form dámelo.
How do you pronounce it?
/dame eso/
Did you know?
- If you say Agárrame eso to mean 'give me that' in Spain, it might sound quite aggressive. This is because the phrase literally translates to 'grab me that', suggesting a forceful movement rather than a simple request.
- When you change dame eso to dámelo to say 'give it to me', a written accent mark must be added to the a to keep the stress on the same syllable.
- The demonstrative eso is actually the neuter form of a word that originally meant 'himself' or 'the very one'. It descends from the Latin word ipsum.
Examples in context
- Dame eso.Give me that.This example shows how to use dame eso.Tatoeba #5203544 by cueyayotl, translation #2245526 by CK
- Deme eso, por favorGive me that, please
- Puede darme eso en una talla más grande, por favorCan you give me that in a bigger size, please?
- Pásame eso, por favorPass me that, please
- Dame eso, por favor.Give me that, please.
- ¡Dame eso ahora mismo!Give me that right now!
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are in the kitchen.
- AlejandroElena, dame eso.Elena, give me that.
- Elena¿Qué quieres, Alejandro?What do you want, Alejandro?
- AlejandroEl paquete de sal.The salt packet.
- ElenaAquí tienes.Here you go.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries eso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
