decirse — Spanish conjugation

to say to oneself

IrregularReflexivedecir → decirse

Indicative

Present (Presente) Irregular

The present tense is the most versatile tense in Spanish. It covers actions happening right now, habitual actions, and even near-future plans. One form does the work of three English constructions.

Ella habla inglés — She speaks / is speaking English

PronounSpanish
yome digo
te dices
voste decís
él/ella/Ud.se dice
nosotrosnos decimos
vosotrosos decís
ellos/ellas/Uds.se dicen

Preterite (Pretérito indefinido) Irregular

Used for completed past actions with a defined endpoint — a single event, a series of events, or an action that interrupted another. Common with time expressions like ayer, el lunes, una vez.

Ella habló de ti ayer — She spoke about you yesterday

PronounSpanish
yome dije
te dijiste
voste dijiste
él/ella/Ud.se dijo
nosotrosnos dijimos
vosotrosos dijisteis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se dijeron

Imperfect (Pretérito imperfecto) Regular

Describes ongoing or habitual past states — what things were like, background context, what used to happen. Contrasts with the preterite which marks completed events.

Cuando era niño vivía en Valencia — When I was a child I lived in Valencia

PronounSpanish
yome decía
te decías
voste decías
él/ella/Ud.se decía
nosotrosnos decíamos
vosotrosos decíais
ellos/ellas/Uds.se decían

Conditional (Condicional) Irregular

Expresses hypothetical actions, polite requests, and what would happen under certain conditions. Also used for reported speech about the future from a past perspective.

¿Podrías ayudarme? — Could you help me?

PronounSpanish
yome diría
te dirías
voste dirías
él/ella/Ud.se diría
nosotrosnos diríamos
vosotrosos diríais
ellos/ellas/Uds.se dirían

Future (Futuro) Irregular

Expresses future actions, predictions, and probability about the present. Formed with the full infinitive as stem for most verbs. In spoken Spanish, ir a + infinitive is often preferred for near future.

Ella hablará en conferencia mañana — She will speak at the conference tomorrow

PronounSpanish
yome diré
te dirás
voste dirás
él/ella/Ud.se dirá
nosotrosnos diremos
vosotrosos diréis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se dirán

Present perfect (Pretérito perfecto) Regular

A compound past tense linking a past action to the present moment — something that has happened and still feels recent or relevant. More common in Spain than Latin America where preterite is preferred.

Hoy he hablado con el jefe — Today I have spoken with the boss

PronounSpanish
yome he dicho
te has dicho
voste has dicho
él/ella/Ud.se ha dicho
nosotrosnos hemos dicho
vosotrosos habéis dicho
ellos/ellas/Uds.se han dicho

Pluperfect (Pretérito pluscuamperfecto) Regular

The past of the past — describes an action that was already completed before another past event happened. Always implies a reference point in the past.

Ya había hablado cuando llegaste — She had already spoken when you arrived

PronounSpanish
yome había dicho
te habías dicho
voste habías dicho
él/ella/Ud.se había dicho
nosotrosnos habíamos dicho
vosotrosos habíais dicho
ellos/ellas/Uds.se habían dicho

Conditional perfect (Condicional perfecto) Regular

Expresses what would have happened — actions that were possible but did not occur, or regrets about the past. Formed with conditional of haber + past participle.

Habría hablado, pero no me dejaron — I would have spoken, but they did not let me

PronounSpanish
yome habría dicho
te habrías dicho
voste habrías dicho
él/ella/Ud.se habría dicho
nosotrosnos habríamos dicho
vosotrosos habríais dicho
ellos/ellas/Uds.se habrían dicho

Future perfect (Futuro perfecto) Regular

Describes an action that will have been completed by a certain point in the future, or expresses probability about a recent past action.

Para el lunes habré terminado — By Monday I will have finished

PronounSpanish
yome habré dicho
te habrás dicho
voste habrás dicho
él/ella/Ud.se habrá dicho
nosotrosnos habremos dicho
vosotrosos habréis dicho
ellos/ellas/Uds.se habrán dicho

Subjunctive

Present subjunctive (Subjuntivo presente) Irregular

Used in subordinate clauses after expressions of desire, doubt, emotion, necessity, or impersonal statements. Triggered by a change of subject between the main and subordinate clause.

Espero que hable — I hope she speaks

PronounSpanish
yome diga
te digas
voste digas
él/ella/Ud.se diga
nosotrosnos digamos
vosotrosos digáis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se digan

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra) (Subjuntivo imperfecto (-ra)) Irregular

The past subjunctive used after past main verbs, in if-clauses with conditional, and for polite softening. The -ra form is more common in everyday speech than the -se form.

Si pudiera, lo haría — If I could, I would do it

PronounSpanish
yome dijera
te dijeras
voste dijeras
él/ella/Ud.se dijera
nosotrosnos dijéramos
vosotrosos dijerais
ellos/ellas/Uds.se dijeran

Imperfect subjunctive (-se) (Subjuntivo imperfecto (-se)) Regular

The alternative past subjunctive form. Interchangeable with -ra in most contexts but slightly more literary or formal. Both forms are grammatically correct in all regions.

Si pudiese, lo haría — If I could, I would do it

PronounSpanish
yome dijese
te dijeses
voste dijeses
él/ella/Ud.se dijese
nosotrosnos dijésemos
vosotrosos dijeseis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se dijesen

Perfect subjunctive (Pretérito perfecto de subjuntivo) Regular

A compound subjunctive that expresses completed actions in a subjunctive context — used after present or future main verbs expressing doubt, emotion or desire.

Dudo que ya haya llegado — I doubt she has already arrived

PronounSpanish
yome haya dicho
te hayas dicho
voste hayas dicho
él/ella/Ud.se haya dicho
nosotrosnos hayamos dicho
vosotrosos hayáis dicho
ellos/ellas/Uds.se hayan dicho

Pluperfect subjunctive (Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo) Regular

Expresses what had happened in hypothetical or unreal past contexts — the subjunctive equivalent of the pluperfect. Common in contrary-to-fact past conditions.

Si hubiera hablado, lo habrían creído — If she had spoken, they would have believed her

PronounSpanish
yome hubiera dicho
te hubieras dicho
voste hubieras dicho
él/ella/Ud.se hubiera dicho
nosotrosnos hubiéramos dicho
vosotrosos hubierais dicho
ellos/ellas/Uds.se hubieran dicho

Other forms

Present progressive (Presente progresivo) Irregular

Emphasises that an action is happening right now at this very moment. Less common than in English since the present tense already covers ongoing actions in Spanish.

Estoy hablando contigo — I am speaking with you

PronounSpanish
yome estoy diciendo
te estás diciendo
voste estás diciendo
él/ella/Ud.se está diciendo
nosotrosnos estamos diciendo
vosotrosos estáis diciendo
ellos/ellas/Uds.se están diciendo

Preterite progressive (Pretérito indefinido progresivo) Irregular

Describes an action that was in progress throughout a completed past period. Uses the preterite of estar + gerund to emphasise the ongoing nature within a defined timeframe.

Estuvo hablando toda la tarde — He was talking all afternoon

PronounSpanish
yome estuve diciendo
te estuviste diciendo
voste estuviste diciendo
él/ella/Ud.se estuvo diciendo
nosotrosnos estuvimos diciendo
vosotrosos estuvisteis diciendo
ellos/ellas/Uds.se estuvieron diciendo

Imperfect progressive (Pretérito imperfecto progresivo) Irregular

Emphasises an ongoing background action using the imperfect of estar + gerund. Layered on top of the imperfect which already conveys continuity — used for extra emphasis on the progressive nature.

Estaba hablando cuando entró — I was speaking when he came in

PronounSpanish
yome estaba diciendo
te estabas diciendo
voste estabas diciendo
él/ella/Ud.se estaba diciendo
nosotrosnos estábamos diciendo
vosotrosos estabais diciendo
ellos/ellas/Uds.se estaban diciendo

Conditional progressive (Condicional progresivo) Irregular

Expresses what would be in progress under hypothetical conditions. Uses the conditional of estar + gerund. Less common but used for emphasis on the ongoing nature of a hypothetical action.

Estaría hablando ahora si pudiera — I would be speaking now if I could

PronounSpanish
yome estaría diciendo
te estarías diciendo
voste estarías diciendo
él/ella/Ud.se estaría diciendo
nosotrosnos estaríamos diciendo
vosotrosos estaríais diciendo
ellos/ellas/Uds.se estarían diciendo

Future progressive (Futuro progresivo) Irregular

Describes an action that will be in progress at a future point, or expresses probability about an ongoing present action. Uses the future of estar + gerund.

Mañana a esta hora estaré viajando — At this time tomorrow I will be travelling

PronounSpanish
yome estaré diciendo
te estarás diciendo
voste estarás diciendo
él/ella/Ud.se estará diciendo
nosotrosnos estaremos diciendo
vosotrosos estaréis diciendo
ellos/ellas/Uds.se estarán diciendo