I say/tell in Italian 🇮🇹

io dico info.

Tips to remember the verb:
• The Italian verb “dire” (to say/tell) comes from the Latin “dicere,” which appears in English words like “dictate” and “dictionary.” Associating “dico” with these words can help you remember its meaning.
• Focus on the ending “-ico” in “dico” to remind you it’s the first person singular present tense form.

Explanations:
• “Dico” means “I say” or “I tell” and is the first person singular of the irregular verb “dire.”
• “Dire” is used for both speaking (“I say”) and conveying information (“I tell”).

Other words that mean a similar thing:
• Affermare – to affirm, state
• Enunciare – to enunciate, articulate
• Raccontare – to tell (a story)

Conjugations of “dire” (infinitive form: dire):

Present
 Io dico  (tell/say)
 Tu dici  (you say/tell)
 Lui/lei dice  (he/she says/tells)
 Noi diciamo  (we say/tell)
 Voi dite  (you all say/tell)
 Loro dicono  (they say/tell)

Imperfect
 Io dicevo  (I was saying/I used to say)
 Tu dicevi  (you were saying)
 Lui/lei diceva  (he/she was saying)
 Noi dicevamo  (we were saying)
 Voi dicevate  (you all were saying)
 Loro dicevano  (they were saying)

Passato Remoto
 Io dissi  (I said)
 Tu dicesti  (you said)
 Lui/lei disse  (he/she said)
 Noi dicemmo  (we said)
 Voi diceste  (you all said)
 Loro dissero  (they said)

Future
 Io dirò  (I will say/tell)
 Tu dirai  (you will say/tell)
 Lui/lei dirà  (he/she will say/tell)
 Noi diremo  (we will say/tell)
 Voi direte  (you all will say/tell)
 Loro diranno  (they will say/tell)

Conditional
 Io direi  (I would say/tell)
 Tu diresti  (you would say/tell)
 Lui/lei direbbe  (he/she would say/tell)
 Noi diremmo  (we would say/tell)
 Voi direste  (you all would say/tell)
 Loro direbbero  (they would say/tell)

Subjunctive Present
 Che io dica
 Che tu dica
 Che lui/lei dica
 Che noi diciamo
 Che voi diciate
 Che loro dicano

Subjunctive Imperfect
 Se io dicessi
 Se tu dicessi
 Se lui/lei dicesse
 Se noi dicessimo
 Se voi diceste
 Se loro dicessero

Examples of sentences:

1. Io dico sempre la verità.
 Translation: I always tell the truth.

2. Quando parlo in pubblico, io dico ciò che penso.
 Translation: When I speak in public, I say what I think.

3. In ogni riunione, io dico la mia opinione chiaramente.
 Translation: In every meeting, I clearly state my opinion.

4. Prima di agire, io dico quello che intendo fare.
 Translation: Before acting, I say what I intend to do.

a few seconds ago