The simple present tense of decir is used to express actions happening in the present moment. For example, you might say “Te digo la verdad.” (“I’m telling you the truth.”) when making a statement in the current conversation.

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 present tense forms.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Decir (to say) in the Present Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):

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: It can also mean to express something, for example, El libro dice muchas cosas importantes (The book expresses many important things).

To indicate or show: It can mean to indicate or show something, for example, El reloj dice que son las 3 p.m. (The clock shows that it’s 3 p.m.).

To order or command: It can be used to give orders or commands, for example, El jefe dice que hay que trabajar más (The boss says we have to work more).

To mean or signify: It can also mean to signify something, for example, La palabra “gato” dice “cat” en inglés (The word “gato” means “cat” in English).

Colloquial usage: In some Latin American vernacular, it can be used to express disbelief or skepticism, for example, ¿Dice? ¡No te creo! (Says who? I don’t believe you!).

Examples

Examples of Decir in the Present Tense

Cuando digo “¡Buen provecho!”, estoy deseando que disfrutes tu comida. (When I say “Enjoy your meal!”, I’m wishing you to enjoy your food.)

Mi amiga dice que el nuevo restaurante es excelente. (My friend says the new restaurant is excellent.)

En la clase de español, decimos oraciones en voz alta para practicar. (In the Spanish class, we say sentences out loud to practice.)

Los niños dicen que quieren ir al parque esta tarde. (The kids say they want to go to the park this afternoon.)

Cuando dices “¿Cómo estás?”, estás preguntando cómo se siente alguien. (When you say “How are you?”, you’re asking how someone is feeling.)

El profesor dice que la tarea es para mañana. (The teacher says the homework is due tomorrow.)

En la reunión, decimos nuestras ideas para el nuevo proyecto. (In the meeting, we say our ideas for the new project.)

Mis amigos dicen que la película es muy divertida. (My friends say the movie is very funny.)

Cuando digo “¡Qué lindo!”, estoy expresando que algo me parece bonito. (When I say “How cute!”, I’m expressing that something seems pretty to me.)

El presentador de noticias dice que habrá lluvia mañana. (The news presenter says there will be rain tomorrow.)

En la fiesta, decimos “¡Feliz cumpleaños!” al cumpleañero. (At the party, we say “Happy birthday!” to the birthday person.)

Los fans dicen que su equipo ganará el campeonato. (The fans say their team will win the championship.)

Cuando dices “¡Qué rico!”, estás expresando que la comida está deliciosa. (When you say “How delicious!”, you’re expressing that the food is delicious.)

Mi jefe dice que tenemos que terminar el proyecto esta semana. (My boss says we have to finish the project this week.)

En la reunión familiar, decimos lo que hemos estado haciendo últimamente. (At the family gathering, we say what we’ve been up to lately.)

Conjugations with English Translations

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

This post covers Latin American Spanish. For Castilian 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.