How to Say "she told" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “she told” is “dijo” — A1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Ella dijo que no.
She said no.
Mi amigo me dijo un secreto.
My friend told me a secret.
El presidente dijo que la economía mejoraría.
The president said that the economy would improve.
A Specific Moment in the Past
'Dijo' is used for a single, completed action of speaking. Think of it like a snapshot in time: someone said something, and the action is finished.
Who is 'dijo'?
This one word can mean 'he said,' 'she said,' or 'you said' (when you're being formal). You'll always know who's talking from the rest of the sentence or conversation.
From 'decir' (to say)
'Dijo' comes from the verb 'decir'. 'Decir' is highly irregular, meaning its forms don't follow the normal patterns, so it's a good one to memorize!
Saying 'Dijo' vs. 'Decía'
Mistake: “When telling a story, you might say: 'Ella decía hola y se fue.'”
Correction: Instead, say: 'Ella dijo hola y se fue.' (She said hi and left.) Use 'dijo' for quick, one-time actions. Use 'decía' for describing something that was happening over a period of time, like 'She was saying...'
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.