dije
DEE-heh
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Yo dije la verdad.
A2I told the truth.
Te dije que iba a llover.
B1I told you it was going to rain.
¿Qué dije? No me acuerdo.
A2What did I say? I don't remember.
💡 Grammar Points
Past Tense for 'I'
'Dije' is the past tense form of 'decir' (to say/tell) used only for 'I'. It describes a single, completed action. For example, 'Ayer, yo dije hola' (Yesterday, I said hello).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'Dije' vs. 'Decía'
Mistake: "Cuando era niño, yo dije muchas mentiras."
Correction: Cuando era niño, yo decía muchas mentiras. Use 'dije' for a one-time event ('I told a lie yesterday'). Use 'decía' for repeated or habitual actions in the past ('I used to tell lies').
⭐ Usage Tips
Saying vs. Speaking
Use 'dije' for the specific words you said ('dije la respuesta' - I said the answer). Use 'hablé' for the general act of talking ('hablé con mi amigo' - I spoke with my friend).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: dije
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'dije' correctly as the verb 'I said'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'dije' used for 'I said' but 'dijo' is for 'he/she said'?
Because 'decir' (to say) is an irregular verb. In the simple past tense (called the preterite), many common verbs have unique spellings that you just have to memorize. 'Dije' is for 'yo' (I), and 'dijo' is for 'él/ella/usted' (he/she/you formal).
Is the noun 'dije' (pendant) related to the verb 'decir' (to say)?
No, they are completely unrelated! It's a coincidence that they are spelled the same. The verb comes from Latin for 'to say,' while the noun for the jewelry has a different, separate origin. They are two different words that happen to look and sound alike.