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decías

deh-SEE-ahs/deˈsi.as/

“decías” means “you were saying” in Spanish (Ongoing action in the past).

you were saying, you used to say, you would tell

Also: you were telling
VerbA1Irregular (infinitive: decir) ir
A colorful storybook illustration of two simple figures sitting on a bench; one figure is leaning forward, actively speaking with an open mouth and a gesture toward the other figure, who is listening intently.
infinitivedecir
gerunddiciendo
past Participledicho

📝 In Action

¿Qué me decías antes de que sonara el teléfono?

A2

What were you saying before the phone rang?

Siempre decías que querías viajar a Italia.

A1

You always used to say that you wanted to travel to Italy.

Cuando éramos niños, decías muchas mentiras.

B1

When we were children, you would tell many lies.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • Decías la verdad – You were telling the truth
  • Decías tonterías – You were saying silly things

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/usteddice
yodigo
túdices
ellos/ellas/ustedesdicen
nosotrosdecimos
vosotrosdecís

imperfect

él/ella/usteddecía
yodecía
túdecías
ellos/ellas/ustedesdecían
nosotrosdecíamos
vosotrosdecíais

preterite

él/ella/usteddijo
yodije
túdijiste
ellos/ellas/ustedesdijeron
nosotrosdijimos
vosotrosdijisteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/usteddiga
yodiga
túdigas
ellos/ellas/ustedesdigan
nosotrosdigamos
vosotrosdigáis

imperfect

él/ella/usteddijera/dijese
yodijera/dijese
túdijeras/dijeses
ellos/ellas/ustedesdijeran/dijesen
nosotrosdijéramos/dijésemos
vosotrosdijerais/dijeseis
View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: decías

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'decías' to describe a repeated past action?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
decir(to say/to tell) — Verb
dicho(saying/proverb) — Noun
declaración(statement/declaration) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
hacíastraías
📚 Etymology▼

The verb 'decir' comes directly from the Latin verb *dīcere*, meaning 'to say' or 'to proclaim.' The imperfect ending '-ías' is a standard evolution from Latin verbal forms.

First recorded: Old Spanish (around 10th-12th century)

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: diceviPortuguese: dizias

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'decías' and 'dijiste'?

'Decías' (Imperfect) is used for ongoing, habitual, or descriptive actions in the past (e.g., 'You used to say'). 'Dijiste' (Preterite) is used for a single, completed action in the past (e.g., 'You said it once, yesterday').

Does 'decías' ever mean 'to tell'?

Yes! In Spanish, 'decir' covers both 'to say' and 'to tell.' So, 'Tú decías la verdad' means 'You were telling the truth.'