decir preterite conjugation
Decir (to say/tell) in the preterite: dije, dijiste, dijo, dijimos, dijisteis, dijeron.
Pretérito indefinido Preterite
| yo | regular: decí |
|---|---|
| tú | regular: deciste |
| él/ella/usted | regular: deció |
| nosotros | regular: decimos |
| vosotros | regular: decisteis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | regular: decieron |
ending regular · irr breaks the pattern · tap a form to hear it
When to use the preterite
The preterite (pretérito indefinido) is the past tense for completed actions with a clear start or end: “Ayer hice la cena.” For background, habits and ongoing states in the past, Spanish uses the imperfect instead.
How it is formed
Regular endings: -ar → é, aste, ó, amos, asteis, aron; -er/-ir → í, iste, ió, imos, isteis, ieron. Many common verbs use an irregular stem (hic-, tuv-, estuv-, pud-, quis-, dij-) with unstressed endings -e, -iste, -o, -imos, -isteis, -ieron.
Decir is irregular here. 6 of 6 forms break the pattern (dark tiles above); the regular pattern would give decí, deciste, deció, decimos, decisteis, decieron.
Read more: Preterite vs imperfect: when to use each
Decir in a sentence
- Digo la verdad siempre.I always tell the truth.
- Ella dijo que vendría.She said she would come.
Irregular yo form 'digo'; irregular preterite 'dijo'; e→i stem change.
FAQ
What is the preterite of decir?
Decir in the Spanish preterite: yo dije, tú dijiste, él/ella/usted dijo, nosotros dijimos, vosotros dijisteis, ellos/ellas/ustedes dijeron.
Is decir irregular in the preterite?
Yes. 6 of 6 forms break the regular pattern: yo dije (regular would be decí); tú dijiste (regular would be deciste); él/ella/usted dijo (regular would be deció); nosotros dijimos (regular would be decimos); vosotros dijisteis (regular would be decisteis); ellos/ellas/ustedes dijeron (regular would be decieron).
When do you use the Spanish preterite?
The preterite (pretérito indefinido) is the past tense for completed actions with a clear start or end: “Ayer hice la cena.” For background, habits and ongoing states in the past, Spanish uses the imperfect instead.
How is the preterite formed?
Regular endings: -ar → é, aste, ó, amos, asteis, aron; -er/-ir → í, iste, ió, imos, isteis, ieron. Many common verbs use an irregular stem (hic-, tuv-, estuv-, pud-, quis-, dij-) with unstressed endings -e, -iste, -o, -imos, -isteis, -ieron.
Full decir conjugation, all tenses →
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