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dicho

DEE-choh/ˈdi.t͡ʃo/

said

Also: told
A friendly cartoon character standing on a hill who has just finished speaking, with a bright blue bubble floating away from their mouth, symbolizing a completed action of speech.
infinitivedecir
gerunddiciendo
past Participledicho

📝 In Action

Ya te he dicho la verdad.

A2

I have already told you the truth.

¿Qué has dicho? No te oí.

A2

What have you said? I didn't hear you.

Nos han dicho que la tienda está cerrada.

B1

They have told us that the store is closed.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • he dicho – I have said
  • haber dicho – to have said
  • lo dicho – what was said

Idioms & Expressions

  • Dicho y hecho – No sooner said than done.

saying

Also: proverb, expression
NounmB1
A kind grandmother leaning down and whispering a piece of traditional wisdom into the ear of her curious grandchild in a sunny garden, symbolizing the transmission of a saying or proverb.

📝 In Action

Como dice el dicho, 'más vale tarde que nunca'.

B1

As the saying goes, 'better late than never'.

Mi abuela siempre tiene un dicho para cada situación.

B1

My grandmother always has a saying for every situation.

Del dicho al hecho hay mucho trecho.

B2

There's a big gap between what is said and what is done. (An idiom itself!)

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • refrán (proverb, saying)
  • expresión (expression)
  • proverbio (proverb)

Common Collocations

  • un dicho popular – a popular saying
  • según el dicho – according to the saying

said

Also: aforementioned, the ... in question
AdjectivemB2formal
A close-up shot of an adult hand pointing definitively at a specific, bright red scroll lying on a mahogany desk, distinguishing it as the 'aforementioned' item.

📝 In Action

Dicho documento debe ser firmado por el gerente.

B2

The said document must be signed by the manager.

Una vez aprobada dicha ley, entra en vigor inmediatamente.

C1

Once the aforementioned law is approved, it takes effect immediately.

La persona en dicha fotografía es mi abuelo.

B2

The person in the photo in question is my grandfather.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • dicho documento – the said document
  • dicha persona – the aforementioned person

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "dicho" in Spanish:

aforementioned→expression→proverb→saying→told→

🗣️ Practice in a Tongue Twister

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: dicho

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'dicho' to mean 'a saying' or 'proverb'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes directly from the Latin word 'dictus', which is the past participle of the verb 'dīcere', meaning 'to say' or 'to speak'. It has kept a very similar form and function over the centuries.

First recorded: Around the 10th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: ditoItalian: dettoFrench: dit

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'dicho' and 'dijo'?

Great question! They both come from 'decir' (to say), but are used differently. 'Dijo' is the simple past tense, meaning 'he/she/you (formal) said' (e.g., 'Él dijo la verdad'). 'Dicho' is the past participle, used with the helper verb 'haber' to mean 'have/has said' (e.g., 'Él ha dicho la verdad').

Can I use 'dicho' as an adjective in normal conversation?

You can, but it will sound quite formal. In a casual chat, instead of 'dicho libro' (the said book), it's much more natural to say 'ese libro' (that book) or 'el libro que mencionaste' (the book you mentioned).