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How to Say "i tell" in Spanish

English → Spanish

digo

DEE-goˈdi.ɣo

verbA1general
Use 'digo' when you are directly conveying information or stating a fact to someone else, similar to 'I say' or 'I state'.
A child happily speaking, with bright, simple shapes representing words floating out of their mouth.

Examples

Yo digo que va a llover.

I say it's going to rain.

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).

'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).

cuento

KWEN-tohˈkwen̪.t̪o

verbA1general
Use 'cuento' when you are counting or narrating a story in a general sense, like 'I count' or 'I relate'.
A person's hands actively pointing at and moving a small pile of colorful wooden blocks on a surface, illustrating the action of counting.

Examples

Te cuento un secreto.

I'll tell you a secret.

Yo cuento hasta diez antes de abrir los ojos.

I count to ten before opening my eyes.

Te cuento mi día cuando volvamos a casa.

I'll tell you about my day when we get back home.

Cuento contigo para organizar la fiesta de esta noche.

I'm counting on you to organize the party tonight.

Stem-Changing Verb

The verb 'contar' is irregular. When the 'o' is stressed (in most singular forms and the third person plural), it changes to 'ue'. For example, 'Yo cuento', but 'Nosotros contamos'.

Forgetting the Stem Change

Mistake: “Using 'Yo conto' instead of 'Yo cuento'.”

Correction: Remember the vowel changes from 'o' to 'ue' in the present tense forms except for 'nosotros' and 'vosotros'.

relato

re-LAH-tohreˈlato

verbB1formal
Use 'relato' when you are formally recounting a sequence of events or a detailed story, often in writing.
A person sitting by a campfire with their hands animatedly gesturing as others listen.

Examples

Yo relato la historia de mi viaje.

I tell the story of my trip.

Yo relato mis aventuras en mi blog.

I tell my adventures on my blog.

Siempre relato la misma historia en las fiestas.

I always tell the same story at parties.

En este libro, relato mi experiencia en la selva.

In this book, I recount my experience in the jungle.

Identifying the 'I' form

When you see 'relato' as a verb, it always means 'I tell.' You can tell it's a verb if there is a person (like 'Yo') doing the action or if it follows a verb pattern.

Saying vs. Telling a Story

The most common mistake is using 'digo' when you mean to narrate or recount. Remember, 'digo' is for stating facts or opinions directly, like 'I say', while 'cuento' and 'relato' are for telling a story or sequence of events.

Related Translations

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