decirse
/deh-SEER-seh/
to tell oneself
A person reflecting internally and telling themselves their own thoughts.
decirse(verb)
to tell oneself
?thinking or reflecting internally
to tell each other
?two or more people communicating
📝 In Action
Me digo que todo saldrá bien.
A1I tell myself that everything will work out.
Ellos se dicen la verdad siempre.
A2They always tell each other the truth.
¿Qué te dijiste cuando ganaste?
B1What did you say to yourself when you won?
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'Se' for Actions to Yourself
When the person doing the saying and the person receiving the words are the same, the verb adds 'se' and you must use matching words like 'me' (for I) or 'te' (for you).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting to change 'se'
Mistake: "Yo se digo que..."
Correction: Yo me digo que... because 'me' must match 'yo'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Thinking out loud
Use 'decirse' when you want to describe a internal monologue or a secret thought you had.
A scene showing how things are said or shared among a community.
decirse(verb)
it is said
?general rumors or widely known facts
they say
?when the 'who' is not important
📝 In Action
Se dice que habrá una fiesta mañana.
A2It is said that there will be a party tomorrow.
No se dice así, se dice de esta otra forma.
B1It's not said like that; it's said this other way.
💡 Grammar Points
General Statements with 'Se'
When you use 'se dice,' you aren't talking about a specific person. It's like saying 'the word on the street is' or 'people in general say.'
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the wrong form
Mistake: "Se dicen que..."
Correction: Use 'Se dice que...' (singular) when following with 'that' and a sentence. Only use 'Se dicen' if you are talking about plural objects (e.g., 'Se dicen mentiras').
⭐ Usage Tips
Polite Correction
Use 'se dice' to gently correct someone's pronunciation or word choice by saying 'Se dice [correct word]'.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: decirse
Question 1 of 2
If you are thinking to yourself 'I can do this,' which form of 'decirse' would you use?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'decirse' different from 'decir'?
Yes! 'Decir' is just 'to say' (to someone else). 'Decirse' is 'to say to oneself,' 'to each other,' or 'to be said' in general.
How do I conjugate it in the past?
It follows the irregular 'decir' pattern but adds the reflexive pronoun. For example: 'me dije' (I told myself) or 'se dijo' (it was said).