diciendo
“diciendo” means “saying” in Spanish (general use).
saying, telling
📝 In Action
Estoy diciendo la verdad.
A2I am telling the truth.
¿Qué estás diciendo? No te entiendo.
A2What are you saying? I don't understand you.
Siguió hablando, diciendo que todo estaría bien.
B1He kept talking, saying that everything would be okay.
Diciendo eso, se fue de la habitación.
B2Saying that, he left the room.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: diciendo
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'diciendo' to describe an action happening right now?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb 'dīcō, dīcere', which means 'to say' or 'to speak'. The '-iendo' ending is the standard Spanish evolution for the Latin present participle of '-ere' verbs.
First recorded: Evolved with the Spanish language from Vulgar Latin.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'diciendo' and 'hablando'?
Think of it like 'saying/telling' vs. 'speaking/talking'. 'Diciendo' is used when you are communicating specific information or words ('I am telling a secret'). 'Hablando' is for the general act of talking ('We are talking on the phone').
Why does 'decir' change to 'diciendo' and not 'deciendo'?
It's an irregular verb! The 'e' in the stem of 'decir' changes to an 'i' in several forms, including this one. It's a pattern you'll also see in verbs like 'pedir' (pidiendo) and 'servir' (sirviendo). You just have to memorize these common irregular ones.