The verb decir – to say / to tell is commonly used in Spanish conversations. It is used when reporting information, expressing opinions, or communicating messages. The verb decir is irregular in the present tense and also has an irregular first-person form. In this module, you will learn how decir works and how it appears in everyday Spanish communication.
The verb decir usually means to say or to tell. It is used when someone communicates information, instructions, or ideas.
Sample Sentences
Yo digo la verdad – I tell the truth
Ella dice una historia interesante – She tells an interesting story
El profesor dice la respuesta – The teacher says the answer
Nosotros decimos la información correcta – We say the correct information
Ellos dicen una opinión importante – They say an important opinion
The verb decir is irregular in the present tense. The first-person form changes to digo, and several forms change from e to i.
Yo digo – I say / I tell
Tú dices – You say / you tell
Él dice – He says / he tells
Ella dice – She says / she tells
Usted dice – You say / you tell (formal)
Nosotros decimos – We say / we tell
Ellos dicen – They say / they tell
Ellas dicen – They say / they tell
Ustedes dicen – You all say / you tell
Sample Sentences
Yo digo la respuesta correcta – I say the correct answer
Tú dices una idea interesante – You say an interesting idea
Ella dice la verdad – She tells the truth
Nosotros decimos la información importante – We say the important information
Ellos dicen la noticia – They say the news
The verb decir is often used when telling information to another person.
Sample Sentences
Yo digo la noticia a mi amigo – I tell the news to my friend
Ella dice la verdad al profesor – She tells the truth to the teacher
El jefe dice el plan al equipo – The boss tells the plan to the team
Nosotros decimos la respuesta a la clase – We tell the answer to the class
Ellos dicen la historia a los visitantes – They tell the story to the visitors
The verb decir appears in several common expressions used in daily Spanish conversations.
Sample Sentences
Decir la verdad es importante – Telling the truth is important
Decir gracias muestra respeto – Saying thank you shows respect
Decir el nombre ayuda a identificar a la persona – Saying the name helps identify the person
Decir una opinión inicia una conversación – Saying an opinion starts a conversation
Decir una palabra amable mejora el ambiente – Saying a kind word improves the atmosphere
The verb decir is used frequently when reporting information, explaining ideas, or sharing thoughts.
Sample Sentences
El estudiante dice la respuesta en voz alta – The student says the answer out loud
La guía dice información sobre la ciudad – The guide says information about the city
El amigo dice un consejo útil – The friend gives useful advice
La profesora dice una explicación clara – The teacher gives a clear explanation
El cliente dice su opinión sobre el servicio – The client says their opinion about the service
In this module, you learned how the verb decir is used in Spanish. You practiced its irregular present tense forms such as digo, dices, and decimos. You also learned how decir is used to communicate information, tell someone something, and express ideas in conversations. Understanding decir will help you share information and express your thoughts more clearly in Spanish.