How to conjugate decir (to say) in Spanish in all tenses & moods

Who said learning how to conjugate “decir” in Spanish was hard?

Okay, maybe a few people have actually said that conjugating “decir” in Spanish was a bit difficult, but that’s only because it’s one of the most irregular of all the irregular verbs in Spanish. Since its conjugation is irregular in almost all tenses, you won’t be able to rely on handy verb conjugation rules when figuring out how to conjugate “decir.”

However, the good news is that “decir” is a pretty short word, and all conjugations are quite easy to memorize. No need to worry about dealing with long and complicated conjugations that sound like a tongue twister!

Plus, in this guide, we’ll go over all possible conjugations for the verb decir along with helpful tips and FAQs to help you dominate this verb like a native. Want to get started right away? Say no more!

“Decir” in Spanish and English

Decir in Spanish translates into “to say” in English. So, when talking about the things you’ve said, what your parents say when you don’t do your Spanish homework, and what your friends will say when they’re wowed by your Spanish skills, you’ll want to use the verb decir. However, this is an irregular verb in Spanish, so you will have to pay close attention to its conjugation forms in all the tenses.

When to use decir

In Spanish, we use the word “decir” to talk about… talking! Well, more specifically, we use it to “say” things, not just to talk. In English, the difference between saying something and talking about something is that saying is more concrete, whereas talking is more general. You and your besties can probably talk and talk for hours, but you probably can’t spend more than a few minutes saying something.

The same is true in Spanish with the verbs decir and hablar. While decir translates into “to say,” hablar translates into “to talk.” Fortunately, hablar is a regular verb, so you can easily conjugate it like any other -ar verb.

Decir in Spanish: All possible conjugations

As you now know, decir is irregular in almost all tenses, so we’ve got a lot of ground to cover! Here are all the conjugations of decir in Spanish:

Present tense (presente)

The present tense in Spanish helps us talk about things that are generally current as of right now. It doesn’t emphasize that the action is ongoing or happening in the present, just that it holds true as of right now.

Simple past (pretérito)

The simple past conjugation tells you that the action started and finished in the past. It doesn’t give you any more clues as to how long ago the action happened or for how long it happened.

Imperfect tense (imperfecto)

The imperfect tense talks about the past in a more abstract way. It could refer to things that you used to do but no longer do, or things that you used to say before something else happened.

Future tense (futuro simple)

The future tense, known in Spanish as futuro simple, talks about things that will happen in the future. We don’t know anything about any other actions that may happen before then.

Future perfect tense (futuro compuesto)

The future perfect tense is where things start to get a little interesting. This nifty tense allows us to talk about something that will happen after something else happens. For example, a hopeless romantic might say, “I will have found the love of my life by the time I turn 20.” That means, they will turn 20 after they find the love of their life.

Conditional tense (condicional simple)

The conditional tense helps us talk about hypotheticals, such as things we would do if we were in a different situation. That’s why this tense helps us give really good advice, as we can talk about what we would say if we were in their shoes.

Present perfect (pretérito perfecto)

The present perfect is used to describe all sorts of things that happened in the past. In Spain, this tense is typically used in place of the simple past. In Latin America, however, this tense is more commonly used to describe things you’ve done in the distant past.

Pluperfect (pluscuamperfecto)

You can think of the pluperfect as the past of the past — it describes things that happened before something else that also happened in the past!

Present subjunctive (subjuntivo)

The subjunctive is used to talk about things that could happen. You can use this tense to talk about your wishes and desires!

Imperfect subjunctive (imperfecto del subjuntivo)

The imperfect subjunctive is another verb tense that can help us talk about hypothetical things that may or may not happen in the future.

Future subjunctive (futuro imperfecto del subjuntivo)

The future subjunctive talks about things that could potentially happen in the future if something else were to happen first. In other words, it is used when you want to say what would happen if you were to say something.

Affirmative imperative (imperativo afirmativo)

The affirmative imperative is used to give commands. So, use this tense when you want to ask someone to say something!

Negative imperative (imperativo negativo)

On the other hand, the negative imperative helps you command people not to say something. For example, if you don’t want your kids to use curse words, this is the tense you’d use!

Decir conjugation chart cheat sheets

If you’re already an intermediate Spanish speaker or above and just need some help refreshing your memory on the different conjugations, then check out our quick decir conjugation cheatsheets below.

Indicative

Complex tenses

Subjunctive

Complex subjunctive

Imperative

Dichos in Spanish

One of the most popular forms of the verb decir is actually its noun form: “dicho” or “dichos.” These are the Spanish equivalents of idioms and each region has its own variations, so you’ll have no shortage of them no matter where you go. Although you’ll always have to get used to the local dichos any time you travel to a new destination, here are ten of the most common sayings in Spanish.

FAQs about decir in Spanish

Is decir a regular verb?

Decir is not a regular verb in Spanish. In fact, it is one of the most irregular verbs of them all, as almost every single conjugation follows an irregular pattern. As such, you’ll have to memorize each individual conjugation of the verb decir.

Is decir a reflexive verb?

Decir can become a reflexive verb when its indefinite form is decirse. This will allow you to emphasize the reflexive or reciprocal action that is happening. In these situations, you’ll want to use the verb with the corresponding reflexive pronouns — me, te, se, nos.

What does diga mean?

Diga is the formal second-person singular conjugation in the affirmative tense of decir, and it is commonly used as a way to ask someone to elaborate or to ask further questions. For example, if someone asks you if they can ask you a question, you can ask them to elaborate by saying “diga?” You may also encounter them at stores and businesses when greeting the attendants, as they may use this as a short way of asking you what you need help with.

What does digo mean?

Digo is the first-person singular conjugation in the present tense of decir, and it is commonly used as a way to correct yourself. For example, if you make a mistake while talking, either grammatical or just a brain fart, you can quickly correct yourself by saying “digo” and just carrying on. For example, “Ayer vi a Martha… digo, a María.” In this example, you actually saw María but accidentally said Martha. No big deal, though! Just say “digo” and keep going!

Problems and exercises for conjugating decir

The best way to practice what you’ve just learned is to test yourself with some exercises! Below, you’ll find ten sentences that use a conjugated form of deicr. You’ve just seen very similar example sentences, so don’t hesitate to scroll up if you have any questions!