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A friendly woman is speaking to two small children who are sitting close together and listening carefully to what she has to say. The woman is gesturing slightly.

decirnos

deh-SEER-nohs

Verb (Infinitive form + pronoun)A2irregular ir
to tell us?as an indirect object,to say to us?as an indirect object
Also:to tell ourselves?as a reflexive action,to tell each other?reciprocal action

Quick Reference

infinitivedecir
gerunddiciendo
past Participledicho

📝 In Action

El doctor tiene que decirnos los resultados pronto.

A2

The doctor has to tell us the results soon.

Deberíamos decirnos la verdad, aunque sea difícil.

B1

We should tell ourselves the truth, even if it's difficult.

No queremos decirnos adiós todavía.

A2

We don't want to say goodbye to each other yet.

Están tratando de decirnos algo importante.

B1

They are trying to tell us something important.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • contarnos (to tell us (a story))
  • explicarnos (to explain to us)

Common Collocations

  • poder decirnos – to be able to tell us
  • querer decirnos – to want to tell us

💡 Grammar Points

The 'Us' Pronoun

The 'nos' attached to the end means 'us' or 'to us.' It specifies that the action of 'saying' or 'telling' is directed toward the group including the speaker.

Pronoun Attachment Rule

In Spanish, the object pronoun ('nos') must be attached directly to the end of the verb when the verb is in the infinitive ('decir'), the gerund ('diciendo'), or an affirmative command ('dinos').

❌ Common Pitfalls

Incorrect Placement

Mistake: "Vamos a nos decir la verdad."

Correction: Vamos a decirnos la verdad. (When you have two verbs, the pronoun can either go before the first verb, 'Nos vamos a decir,' OR attached to the second, 'Vamos a decirnos.')

⭐ Usage Tips

Stress Shift

When you attach 'nos' to the infinitive 'decir,' the stress stays on the last syllable of the verb, so you don't need an accent mark (de-CIR-nos).

Reflexive vs. Indirect

Depending on the context, 'decirnos' can mean 'to tell us' (indirect object) or 'to tell ourselves/each other' (reflexive/reciprocal action). Context clarifies the meaning.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: decirnos

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'decirnos'?

📚 More Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'decirnos' a conjugated verb?

No, 'decirnos' is the infinitive form of the verb ('decir') with the pronoun 'nos' attached. It must follow a conjugated verb, like in 'Tenemos que decirnos...' (We have to tell us...).

Can I separate 'decir' and 'nos'?

Yes! When you have a two-verb phrase (like 'queremos decirnos'), you can choose to attach 'nos' to the infinitive ('queremos decirnos') or move it before the conjugated verb ('Nos queremos decir'). Both are correct.