déjame un poco
/dexame un poko/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'let me get some' is translated into Spanish as déjame un poco.
This phrase is used to request a small portion of something that someone else has. While un poco literally means 'a little', in this context it functions like the English 'get some' to request a small amount of food or a substance.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase déjame un poco uses the informal imperative, which is appropriate when speaking to friends, family or peers. If you need to be polite or formal, change the 'déjame' portion to déjeme to become déjeme un poco.
Did you know?
- If you are asking for a small amount of a drink, you might hear échame un poco. This uses the verb echar, which literally means 'to throw' or 'to cast', treating the pouring of a liquid as a quick action.
- The word poco shares an ancient ancestor with the English word 'few', tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European root *peh₂w-.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, requesting un poquito instead of un poco is not just about size. Using the diminutive can be a social strategy to make the request feel less like an imposition and more like a favor.
Examples in context
- ¿Me permitiría obtener un poco de agua, por favor?Would you allow me to get some water, please?
- ¿Me das un poco de pizza, porfa?Can you give me some pizza, please?
- Déjame un poco de pastel.Let me get some cake.
- Déjame un poco de jugo, por favor.Let me get some juice, please.
- Si tienes más café, déjame un poco.If you have more coffee, let me get some.
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are sharing a snack at a table.
- MateoEse helado se ve muy rico.That ice cream looks very delicious.
- LucíaSí, es de chocolate.Yes, it is chocolate.
- MateoDéjame un poco, por favor.Let me get some, please.
- LucíaClaro, aquí tienes.Sure, here you go.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries poco, un, CC BY-SA 4.0.
