Conjugations Of Decir In Spanish

Mastering the Spanish Verb "Decir": A full breakdown to Conjugations

The Spanish verb decir (to say, to tell) is a highly irregular verb, meaning its conjugations don't follow the standard patterns of regular verbs. On top of that, understanding its various forms is crucial for fluency in Spanish. This thorough look will break down the conjugations of decir, providing clear explanations and examples to help you master this essential verb. Still, we'll explore the present, preterite, imperfect, future, conditional, and subjunctive tenses, along with the imperative mood. By the end, you'll be confidently using decir in a wide range of contexts.

Present Tense (Presente Indicativo)

The present tense describes actions happening now. Decir’s present tense conjugations are irregular in several forms:

Pronoun	Conjugation	Example Sentence	Translation
Yo (I)	digo	Yo digo la verdad.	He says yes. In practice,
Vosotros/as (You all - Spain)	decís	Vosotros decís que no. That's why
Tú (You - informal)	dices	Tú dices muchas cosas. Now,
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You - formal)	dice	Él dice que sí.	We tell the truth.
Nosotros/as (We)	decimos	Nosotros decimos la verdad.	I tell the truth. So
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes (They/You all - formal)	dicen	Ellos dicen que vienen.	You say many things.

Notice the irregularity, especially in the “yo” (digo) and “tú” (dices) forms. These deviations from a regular -ir verb pattern are characteristic of decir.

Preterite Tense (Pretérito Perfecto Simple)

The preterite tense describes completed actions in the past. This tense is also irregular for decir:

Pronoun	Conjugation	Example Sentence	Translation
Yo (I)	dije	Yo dije mi nombre. Because of that,	I said my name. Now,
Tú (You - informal)	dijiste	Tú dijiste la verdad.	You told the truth. Worth adding:
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You - formal)	dijo	Ella dijo que no.	She said no.
Nosotros/as (We)	dijimos	Nosotros dijimos que sí. Here's the thing —	We said yes.
Vosotros/as (You all - Spain)	dijisteis	Vosotros dijisteis la contraseña.	You all said the password.
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes (They/You all - formal)	dijeron	Ellos dijeron que vendrían.	They said they would come.

The stem dij- is the key to recognizing the preterite conjugations. Remember that dijisteis is specific to Spain; in Latin America, you would typically use the ustedes form, dijeron.

Imperfect Tense (Imperfecto Indicativo)

The imperfect tense describes ongoing or habitual actions in the past, or describes the setting of a past event. Decir's imperfect tense conjugations are also irregular:

Pronoun	Conjugation	Example Sentence	Translation
Yo (I)	decía	Yo decía la verdad siempre. Day to day,	I always told the truth.
Tú (You - informal)	decías	Tú decías que tenías hambre.	You said you were hungry.
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You - formal)	decía	Él decía poemas hermosos.	He used to recite beautiful poems.
Nosotros/as (We)	decíamos	Nosotros decíamos lo mismo. Worth adding:	We said the same thing.
Vosotros/as (You all - Spain)	decíais	Vosotros decíais que era fácil.	You all said it was easy. Think about it:
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes (They/You all - formal)	decían	Ellos decían mentiras.	They used to tell lies.

The -ía ending is typical of the imperfect tense in Spanish. Again, note the irregularity of the stem.

Future Tense (Futuro Simple)

The future tense describes actions that will happen in the future. Decir's future tense conjugations are formed regularly, unlike the other tenses we've seen:

Pronoun	Conjugation	Example Sentence	Translation
Yo (I)	diré	Yo diré la verdad.
Tú (You - informal)	dirás	Tú dirás lo que quieras. In practice,	He will state his opinion.
Nosotros/as (We)	diremos	Nosotros diremos la respuesta. On the flip side,
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You - formal)	dirá	Él dirá su opinión.	We will give the answer.
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes (They/You all - formal)	dirán	Ellos dirán lo que piensan.	You will say what you want.
Vosotros/as (You all - Spain)	diréis	Vosotros diréis la verdad.	They will say what they think.

The future tense of decir is formed using the future tense endings (-é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án) attached to the stem dir-.

Conditional Tense (Condicional Simple)

The conditional tense describes actions that would happen under a certain condition. Its formation is similar to the future tense:

Pronoun	Conjugation	Example Sentence	Translation
Yo (I)	diría	Yo diría que sí. In real terms,
Tú (You - informal)	dirías	Tú dirías que no.	We would say that we tried. Plus,
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes (They/You all - formal)	dirían	Ellos dirían que no saben.
Nosotros/as (We)	diríamos	Nosotros diríamos que lo intentamos. In practice,
Vosotros/as (You all - Spain)	diríais	Vosotros diríais que es difícil. So	He would tell the truth. Practically speaking,
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You - formal)	diría	Él diría la verdad.	I would say yes.

The conditional tense of decir uses the conditional endings (-ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían) with the stem dir-.

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Subjunctive Mood (Modo Subjuntivo)

The subjunctive mood expresses doubt, wishes, emotions, or hypothetical situations. Decir’s subjunctive conjugations are irregular and vary across tenses.

Present Subjunctive (Presente de Subjuntivo)

Pronoun	Conjugation	Example Sentence	Translation
Yo (I)	diga	Espero que diga la verdad. Day to day,
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You - formal)	diga	Es importante que él diga la verdad.
Vosotros/as (You all - Spain)	digáis	Quiero que digáis la verdad.	It's important that he says the truth. Still,
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes (They/You all - formal)	digan	Es necesario que digan la verdad.	I want you to tell the truth.
Nosotros/as (We)	digamos	Queremos que digamos la verdad. Even so,	I hope that he/she says the truth.
Tú (You - informal)	digas	Quiero que digas la verdad. That said,	I want you all to tell the truth.

Imperfect Subjunctive (Imperfecto de Subjuntivo)

The imperfect subjunctive has two forms, depending on whether you're referring to actions in the past that are now completed or hypothetical past actions. These are often used with phrases indicating doubt or uncertainty.

Form 1 (for completed actions): This uses the -iera form. To give you an idea, dijera, dijeras, etc.
Form 2 (for hypothetical actions): This uses the -ase form. As an example, dijese, dijeses, etc.

Both forms are irregular and follow the same pattern as the imperfect indicative but are used in different contexts, reflecting differences in nuance within the subjunctive itself. The use of -iera vs -ase is a stylistic choice and is largely regional in nature.

Imperative Mood (Imperativo)

The imperative mood is used to give commands or instructions. Decir's imperative conjugations are also irregular:

Pronoun	Conjugation	Example Sentence	Translation
Tú (You - informal)	di	Di la verdad. Now,	Tell the truth. Consider this:
Usted (You - formal)	diga	Diga la verdad, por favor.	Tell the truth, please.
Nosotros/as (We)	digamos	Digamos la verdad.	Let's tell the truth.
Vosotros/as (You all - Spain)	decid	Decid la verdad.	Tell the truth (all of you).
Ustedes (You all - formal)	digan	Digan la verdad.	Tell the truth (all of you).

Note the absence of a "yo" form in the imperative, as you cannot give a command to yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the difference between decir and hablar? Decir means "to say" or "to tell," focusing on the content of what is said. Hablar means "to speak" or "to talk," focusing on the act of speaking itself.
How do I choose between the preterite and imperfect? The preterite emphasizes the completion of an action, while the imperfect emphasizes the duration or repetition of an action in the past.
When do I use the subjunctive? The subjunctive is used to express subjective states such as wishes, opinions, doubts, or emotions, often following expressions of desire, emotion, or necessity. Simple as that.
Is there a difference in the use of decir in Spain versus Latin America? While most conjugations are the same, the vosotros form is used in Spain but not in Latin America. In Latin America, the ustedes form is used for both formal and informal plural commands and statements.

Conclusion

Mastering the conjugations of decir requires consistent practice and attention to the irregularities. Don't hesitate to consult Spanish dictionaries and grammar resources as you continue your language learning journey. Practically speaking, buena suerte! Here's the thing — remember to practice regularly, and you’ll soon find yourself effortlessly using the verb decir in various contexts. Even so, by regularly reviewing these conjugations and using them in sentences, you'll build confidence and become more comfortable using this essential verb in your everyday conversations. While initially challenging, understanding the nuances of each tense and mood will significantly improve your Spanish fluency and communication skills. (Good luck!