dijeron
/dee-KHEH-ron/
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Ellos dijeron que no podían venir a la fiesta.
A2They said that they couldn't come to the party.
¿Qué les dijeron ustedes a sus padres sobre el viaje?
A2What did you all tell your parents about the trip?
Me dijeron que el museo estaba cerrado.
B1They told me the museum was closed.
Los críticos dijeron que era la mejor película del año.
B1The critics said it was the best movie of the year.
💡 Grammar Points
A Specific Past Action
'Dijeron' is used for actions that happened and were completed at a definite point in the past. Think of it like a snapshot: the action of saying or telling is over and done with.
Who are 'They' or 'You All'?
This one word can refer to different groups. It means 'they said' (ellos/ellas) or 'you all said' (ustedes). You know who it is from the conversation's context.
❌ Common Pitfalls
The 'j' is Important!
Mistake: "Mis padres *decieron* que no."
Correction: Mis padres *dijeron* que no. The verb 'decir' is irregular and changes its stem to 'dij-' in this past tense. It's a very common mistake, so practice it!
Saying vs. Speaking
Mistake: "Ellos *hablaron* que la tienda estaba cerrada."
Correction: Ellos *dijeron* que la tienda estaba cerrada. Use 'decir' to report what someone said. Use 'hablar' for the general act of speaking, like 'Ellos hablaron por teléfono' (They spoke on the phone).
⭐ Usage Tips
Using 'Said' vs. 'Told'
Like in English, 'dijeron' can mean 'said' or 'told'. If you want to say who they told, you need to add a little word like 'me', 'le', or 'nos'. For example: 'Dijeron la verdad' (They said the truth) vs. 'Nos dijeron la verdad' (They told us the truth).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: dijeron
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'dijeron' to report what some people said?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'dijeron' and 'decían'?
'Dijeron' is for a completed action, a single event in the past. For example, 'Ayer me dijeron la noticia' (Yesterday they told me the news). 'Decían' describes a repeated or ongoing action in the past, or sets the scene. For example, 'Siempre decían lo mismo' (They always used to say the same thing).
Can I use 'dijeron' when talking to my friends?
Yes, but only if you're in Latin America. In Latin America, 'ustedes' (and its verb forms like 'dijeron') is used for any group of 'you all', formal or informal. In Spain, you would use 'dijisteis' when talking to friends.