decía
“decía” means “was saying / was telling” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
was saying / was telling, used to say / used to tell, said
📝 In Action
Mi abuela siempre decía que hay que ser amable.
A2My grandmother always used to say that you have to be kind.
No recuerdo qué me decía el profesor en ese momento.
B1I don't remember what the teacher was saying to me at that moment.
Llovía mucho y la radio decía que las calles estaban inundadas.
B1It was raining a lot and the radio was saying that the streets were flooded.
meant, indicated
Also: read
📝 In Action
Su expresión no decía nada, pero yo sabía que estaba enojado.
B1His expression said nothing (meant nothing), but I knew he was angry.
El letrero decía 'prohibido el paso'.
A2The sign said 'no trespassing'.
Para mí, ese gesto decía mucho sobre su carácter.
B2To me, that gesture said a lot about his character.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: decía
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'decía' to describe a repeated action in the past?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'dīcēbat,' which was the past form of the verb 'dīcere,' meaning 'to say' or 'to speak.' It has kept a very similar meaning over thousands of years!
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the biggest difference between 'decía' and 'dijo'?
Think of it like this: 'decía' is for the background story, and 'dijo' is for the main event. Use 'decía' for things that were happening, used to happen, or for descriptions ('The sun was shining and my mom was saying...'). Use 'dijo' for a specific action that started and finished ('...when suddenly my dad said, 'Let's go!'').
How do I know if 'decía' means 'I was saying' or 'he/she was saying'?
Usually, the context tells you! If you're talking about yourself, it means 'I'. If you were just talking about your friend Ana, it means 'she'. To be extra clear, you can add the person: 'yo decía' (I was saying) or 'él/ella decía' (he/she was saying).