I don't understand how this translates

Question

I came across this in SpanishDict:

Dile a él que venga

but just can't figure out exactly what it means and I couldn't get a sensible translation from the SpanishDict translation facility. Can someone please explain to me? Thanks.

Answer 1

My take on it is telling someone to ask someone to come.

I hear this more often, because it is a request instead of an order.

Dígale a él que venga.

You may well be right. I just figured with the imperative tense... Thanks! ;-) - Winkfish, Dec 10, 2014

Thanks. It is the "a él que" which confuses me. - ukali, Dec 10, 2014

:) - annierats, Dec 10, 2014

The di is tu form, normal in Spain. - annierats, Dec 10, 2014

:) - FELIZ77, Dec 10, 2014

Answer 2

Hello Ukali,

Welcome to the SpanishDict forum

You asked:

I came across this in SpanishDict: Dile a él que venga but just can't figure out exactly what it means and I couldn't get a sensible translation from the SpanishDict translation facility. Can someone please explain to me? Thanks.

Dile a él que venga =/means: Tell him to come

This is using the imperative in the first clause: Dile a él because the person is commanding someone else to do something and the subjunctive in the second clause because there are 2 different subjects, one in each clause:

In 1st clause Dile

In 2nd él so venga (present subjunctive mood) is used not viene (indicative tense)

and these subjects are separated by the relatiave pronoun 'que' and a different verb is used in each clause(part): 1 decir = to say/ tell 2 venir = to come.

I hope this helps

Thanks. I understand the imperative and subjunctive, but what confuses me is that it seems to me to say tell him to him that come". Why is "que" used here please? - ukali, Dec 10, 2014

Answer 3

What I get from this web site's translator and Google is "Tell him to come."

If you build it, he will come. - rac1, Dec 10, 2014

Lol!!! - Winkfish, Dec 10, 2014

That's what it means. - annierats, Dec 10, 2014