decir
“decir” means “to say” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to sayAlso: to tell
📝 In Action
Mi mamá siempre dice la verdad.
A1My mom always tells the truth.
¿Qué dijiste? No te oí.
A2What did you say? I didn't hear you.
Por favor, dime tu nombre.
A1Please, tell me your name.
Word Connections
to indicateAlso: to show, to read
📝 In Action
El cartel dice 'prohibido el paso'.
B1The sign says 'no entry'.
Su cara lo decía todo.
B2His face said it all.
El primer capítulo no dice nada sobre su pasado.
B1The first chapter doesn't say anything about his past.
Word Connections
sayingAlso: way of speaking, witticism
📝 In Action
Es un decir muy antiguo de mi pueblo.
C1It's a very old saying from my town.
Tenía un decir muy elegante y refinado.
C1He had a very elegant and refined way of speaking.
Word Connections
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: decir
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence correctly uses 'decir' to mean 'what the sign says'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family
📚 Etymology
Comes from the Latin word 'dīcere', which meant 'to say, to speak, or to state'. It's a direct descendant that has kept its core meaning for thousands of years.
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'decir' and 'contar'?
Think of 'decir' as reporting information ('He said he's coming') and 'contar' as narrating a story ('He told me a story'). You 'cuentas un chiste' (tell a joke) but 'dices la hora' (say the time).
Why is 'decir' so irregular?
It's a very old and common verb, and these verbs often have irregular forms that have been passed down from Latin. The good news is, because you'll see and hear it so often, the strange forms will start to feel natural over time!
How do I use 'querer decir'?
'Querer decir' is a fixed phrase that means 'to mean'. For example, if you don't understand a word, you can ask: '¿Qué quiere decir esa palabra?' (What does that word mean?).