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How to Say "i mean" in Spanish

English → Spanish

digo

/DEE-go//ˈdi.ɣo/

InterjectionB1Informal
Use 'digo' when you are correcting something you just said, often in informal conversation.
A child happily speaking, with bright, simple shapes representing words floating out of their mouth.

Examples

Voy a la fiesta el sábado... digo, el domingo.

I'm going to the party on Saturday... I mean, on Sunday.

Yo siempre digo la verdad.

I always tell the truth.

Cada mañana, le digo 'hola' a mi vecino.

Every morning, I say 'hello' to my neighbor.

No te preocupes, yo se lo digo.

Don't worry, I'll tell him/her.

The 'Yo' Form of 'Decir'

'Digo' is the 'I' form of the verb 'decir' (to say/tell) in the present. Notice how the 'c' changes to a 'g'. This 'go' ending for the 'yo' form is common in other important verbs like 'hago' (I do) and 'tengo' (I have).

A Spoken 'Undo' Button

Think of 'digo' used this way as a spoken 'undo' or 'edit' button. You say something, realize it's wrong, and immediately say 'digo' followed by the correction.

'Digo' vs. 'Hablo'

Mistake: “Using 'digo' to mean 'I speak (a language)'. For example: 'Digo español.'”

Correction: Use 'hablo' for speaking a language: 'Hablo español.' Use 'digo' for saying specific words or telling information: 'Digo la verdad' (I tell the truth).

Placement

Mistake: “Putting the correction before 'digo'. Example: 'Nos vemos el miércoles, digo, el martes.'”

Correction: Always say the wrong thing first, then 'digo', then the right thing: 'Nos vemos el martes... digo, el miércoles.'

refiero

/reh-fee-EH-roh//reˈfje.ɾo/

VerbA2Neutral
Use 'me refiero' to clarify or specify what you are talking about, distinguishing it from something else.
A person pointing their index finger clearly at a large, brightly colored red apple sitting on a simple surface, illustrating the act of referring to something.

Examples

No hablaba de ti, me refiero a tu hermano.

I wasn't talking about you, I mean your brother.

No te refieres al coche rojo, ¿verdad? Yo me refiero al azul.

You're not referring to the red car, are you? I mean the blue one.

Cuando digo 'el director', me refiero al señor López.

When I say 'the director,' I mean Mr. López.

Si no entiendes la palabra, refiero la pregunta al profesor.

If you don't understand the word, I refer the question to the teacher.

The Crucial 'A'

When using 'referir' to point out what you are talking about (like 'Me refiero a...'), you must always include the preposition 'a' (to) right after the verb.

Stem Change E>IE

'Referir' is a tricky verb! The 'e' in the stem changes to 'ie' in most forms, like 'refiero' and 'refieres,' but not in the 'nosotros' or 'vosotros' forms (referimos, referís).

Missing the Reflexive Pronoun

Mistake: “Yo refiero la película.”

Correction: Yo *me* refiero a la película. When meaning 'I mean' or 'I am talking about,' the 'me' pronoun is required.

sea

/SEH-ah//ˈse.a/

PhraseA2Neutral
Use 'o sea' as a connector to rephrase, explain, or clarify a previous statement, similar to 'in other words'.
A tangled knot being transformed into a neat coil, representing how the phrase 'o sea' clarifies or rephrases something.

Examples

Necesitamos comprar leche, o sea, el producto lácteo.

We need to buy milk, I mean, the dairy product.

El tren llega a las 14:00, o sea, a las dos de la tarde.

The train arrives at 14:00, in other words, at two in the afternoon.

No tengo dinero, o sea que no puedo ir al cine.

I don't have money, so I can't go to the movies.

No me gustó la película... o sea, no es mi tipo de humor.

I didn't like the movie... I mean, it's not my type of humor.

Correcting vs. Clarifying

Learners often confuse 'digo' and 'me refiero'. Remember, 'digo' is for self-correction (you said X, but you meant Y), while 'me refiero' is for clarifying a statement or pointing out what you are actually talking about.

Related Translations

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