Hand it to Meaning in English
expression
ˈhænd/ /ˈɪt/, /ɪt/ /ˈtu/, /tə/, /tɪ
HAND-it-tuh
hˈænd/ /ˈɪt/ /tˈuː
HAND-it-TOO
Definition
To admit or acknowledge that someone deserves praise or credit for something they have done well.
Usage & Nuances
Informal; usually used as 'you have to hand it to (someone)' to give praise, often before naming an achievement. Not literal—does not involve physically handing anything.
Spanish: reconocer el mérito de - dar crédito aPortuguese (BR): reconhecer o mérito de - dar crédito aPortuguese (PT): reconhecer o mérito de - dar crédito aChinese (Simplified): 承认（某人的优点） - 赞扬Chinese (Traditional): 承認（某人的優點） - 讚揚Hindi: स्वीकार करना (किसी की उपलब्धि) - श्रेय देनाArabic: يعترف بفضل (شخص ما) - يمنحه الفضلBengali: স্বীকার করতে হয় - কৃতিত্ব দিতে হয়Russian: отдать должное - признать заслугиJapanese: 認めざるを得ないVietnamese: phải công nhận - phải khen ngợiKorean: 인정하다 - 칭찬하다Turkish: hakkını vermek - takdir etmekUrdu: ماننا پڑے گا - داد دیناIndonesian: mengakui - memberikan pujian
Example Sentences
You have to hand it to her—she worked really hard to win the prize.
basic
I have to hand it to John; he fixed the car by himself.
basic
You really have to hand it to the team. They never gave up.
basic
I gotta hand it to you, that was a smart move.
natural
You gotta hand it to Mark—he pulled it off when nobody else could.
natural
Even when she makes mistakes, you have to hand it to her for trying.
natural