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Conjugation Chart of “Decir” (to say) in the Present Tense

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Understanding the Present Tense of “Decir”

The Present Tense of Decir is used to express actions happening at the present moment or facts that are currently true. For example, Digo la verdad. (I’m telling the truth.)

Decir is an irregular verb, meaning its conjugations don’t follow the typical patterns of regular verbs. You’ll need to memorize its unique set of conjugations.

How to Use Decir in the Present Tense

Decir generally means “to say” or “to tell”, but has several different meanings in the Present Tense, some of which might surprise you.

To say or tell: This is the most common meaning, for example, Yo digo la verdad (I tell the truth).

To express: Used when conveying an idea or opinion, for example, Él dice que no le gusta el café (He says that he doesn’t like coffee).

To indicate or show: Referring to something that is evident or clear, for example, El reloj dice que son las tres (The clock says it’s three o’clock).

To order or command: Used when giving instructions or orders, for example, El jefe dice que trabajemos más rápido (The boss says we should work faster).

To mean or signify: Explaining the meaning of something, for example, Esa palabra dice “casa” en español (That word means “house” in Spanish).

To read (colloquial): Used informally when reading something aloud, for example, ¿Qué dice el libro? (What does the book say?).

To call someone (colloquial): Used informally when addressing someone, for example, ¿Cómo te digo, amigo? (How should I call you, friend?).

To gossip (colloquial, rude): Used informally when spreading rumors or gossip, for example, ¿Qué dicen de mí? (What are they saying about me?).

Real Life Examples of Decir in the Present Tense

Cuando digo la verdad, me siento mejor conmigo mismo. (When I tell the truth, I feel better about myself.)

Mis amigos dicen que soy una persona muy divertida. (My friends say I’m a very fun person.)

¿Qué dices? ¿Vamos al cine esta noche? (What do you say? Shall we go to the movies tonight?)

El profesor dice que debemos estudiar más para el examen. (The teacher says we should study more for the exam.)

Nosotros decimos la verdad, aunque a veces sea difícil. (We tell the truth, even though it’s sometimes difficult.)

¿Ustedes dicen que van a ir a la fiesta el sábado? (Are you saying you’re going to the party on Saturday?)

Ella dice que no le gusta el café, pero yo creo que sí le gusta. (She says she doesn’t like coffee, but I think she does like it.)

¿Qué decís de ir a caminar por el parque? Hace un día hermoso. (What do you say about going for a walk in the park? It’s a beautiful day.)

Mis padres siempre dicen que debo comer más frutas y verduras. (My parents always say I should eat more fruits and vegetables.)

En la reunión, el jefe dice que debemos trabajar más duro. (In the meeting, the boss says we need to work harder.)

¿Qué dicen los expertos sobre el cambio climático? (What are the experts saying about climate change?)

Cuando digo “¡Ay, qué lindo!” es porque algo me parece muy bonito. (When I say “Aw, how cute!” it’s because something seems very pretty to me.)

Ellos dicen que no, pero yo digo que sí. (They say no, but I say yes.)

¿Qué decís? ¿Vamos a tomar un café después del trabajo? (What do you say? Shall we go for a coffee after work?)

Nosotros decimos la verdad, aunque a veces duela. (We tell the truth, even though it sometimes hurts.)

Conjugation Chart with English Translations

Conjugations of Decir (to say) in the Present Tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Present tense is also known as the Simple Present, Present Simple, Present Tense, or Present Indicative in English, and as Presente de Indicativo, Presente Simple, Tiempo Presente, or Indicativo Presente in Spanish.