Se lo diré
/se lo diɾe/from spelling rules
In Spanish, the phrase Se lo diré means "I will tell her".
This phrase is used to promise that information will be given to a female person in the future.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of se (to her/him), lo (it) and diré (I will say).
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding Se lo diré a ella at the end of the phrase is used for emphasis or to clarify that the recipient is a female.
How do you pronounce it?
/se lo diɾe/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say Le lo diré instead of Se lo diré. In Spanish, when both indirect and direct object pronouns start with 'l', the indirect pronoun le changes to se.
Did you know?
- The use of se in this phrase is actually a historical accident. It originated from the Old Spanish word ge, but because the pronunciation shifted, speakers began using se instead to avoid a sound clash.
- If you were telling a man instead of a woman, the phrase would be Se lo diré as well. Because the pronoun se is used for both genders to avoid a double 'l' sound, you cannot tell if the recipient is male or female without adding context.
- The word lo in Se lo diré does not just mean 'it' in a masculine sense, but acts as a 'neuter' pronoun for ideas or abstract concepts that do not have a gender.
Examples in context
- Le diré a ella que viniste a visitarla hoy.I will tell her that you came to visit her today.
- Voy a decirle a ella que estás interesado en el proyecto.I will tell her that you're interested in the project.
- Le contaré a ella sobre nuestra próxima fiesta.I will tell her about our upcoming party.
- Voy a contarle a ella lo que sucedió.I will tell her what happened.
- Se lo diré mañana.I will tell her tomorrow.
- No te preocupes, se lo diré yo.Don't worry, I will tell her.
- Si ella pregunta, se lo diré.If she asks, I will tell her.
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are discussing a message for a female friend.
- Elena¿Le puedes dar el mensaje a Lucía?Can you give the message to Lucía?
- MateoClaro, se lo diré en cuanto la vea.Sure, I will tell her as soon as I see her.
- ElenaMuchas gracias, Mateo.Thank you very much, Mateo.
- MateoDe nada, Elena.You're welcome, Elena.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lo, se, CC BY-SA 4.0.
