How to Say "we tell" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “we tell” is “decimos” — use 'decimos' when you are stating facts, giving opinions, or conveying general information, similar to 'we say' or 'we state'..
decimos
/deh-SEE-mohs//deˈsi.mos/
Examples
Nosotros decimos la verdad siempre.
We always tell the truth.
¿Qué decimos cuando no entendemos algo?
What do we say when we don't understand something?
Decimos que la película fue muy buena.
We say that the movie was very good.
The 'We' Form Exception
In the present tense, most forms of 'decir' change the 'e' to an 'i' (dices, dicen), but 'decimos' (we say) and 'decís' (you all say, Spain) are the exceptions that keep the 'e'.
Telling vs. Saying
Unlike English, 'decir' covers both 'to say' and 'to tell.' You don't need a separate verb when talking about telling a story or telling the truth.
Forgetting the Irregular 'Yo' Form
Mistake: “Yo decimos”
Correction: The correct 'I' form is 'Yo digo' (I say). Remember that 'decimos' is only for 'we'.
Using the Stem Change
Mistake: “Nosotros dicimos”
Correction: The correct form is 'decimos' (we say). The stem change (e→i) happens in all other singular and plural forms except 'nosotros' and 'vosotros'.
contamos
/kohn-TAH-mohs//konˈtamos/
Examples
Contamos historias alrededor del fuego.
We tell stories around the fire.
Le contamos el secreto a María.
We tell (or we told) the secret to María.
Who are you telling?
When you tell someone something, use 'le' or 'les' before 'contamos' to show who is receiving the story.
Decimos vs. Contamos
Related Translations
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