Verb DIZER (to say/tell)

Dizer is what we call an irregular verb. Do not let that word scare you. Most of the most useful verbs in any language are irregular. They are like old, comfortable shoes that have been worn into unique shapes. In the case of dizer, the "irregularity" mostly happens in the first person (the eu form). The root changes from diz- to dig-. It is a small shift, but it is the secret handshake of fluent speakers. Once you get past that first person hurdle, the rest of the present tense follows a very predictable path. You just need to watch out for the third person singular (ele/ela/você), where the verb gets a bit lazy and drops its ending to become simply diz. It is efficient, just like you want to be when ordering a coffee or explaining why you forgot your homework.

1. 1Let’s break down the present indicative, which is where you will spend 90% of your time as an A2 learner.
2. 2Start with the root diz-.
3. 3For eu (I), throw the rulebook out the window and use digo. Notice the g sound. It sounds like "DEE-goo."
4. 4For tu (you - informal), add -es to the root: dizes.
5. 5For ele/ela/você (he/she/you - formal), the verb is short: diz.
6. 6For nós (we), add -emos: dizemos.
7. 7For eles/elas/vocês (they/you all), add -em: dizem.
8. 8Yes, even native speakers occasionally trip over the digo form when they are tired, but you will look like a pro if you nail it every time. Think of the g in digo as a "green light" to keep the conversation moving.

Use dizer when you are reporting specific information. If you are in a job interview and the boss asks, "O que você diz sobre sua experiência?" (What do you say about your experience?), you are providing a specific answer. Use it when you are reading a sign: "O sinal diz pare" (The sign says stop). Use it to express a quick opinion: "Eu digo que sim!" (I say yes!). It is also the go-to verb for quoting people. If your friend Maria is always late, you tell your other friends, "A Maria diz que vem, mas nunca chega" (Maria says she's coming, but never arrives). It’s perfect for those "he said, she said" moments that make life interesting.

Do not use dizer when you want to describe the general ability to speak a language. You don't dizer Portuguese; you falar Portuguese. Think of falar as the physical action. You falar for three hours on the phone, but you dizer a secret to your best friend. Also, be careful with stories. If you are telling a long, winding tale about how you got lost in the mountains, the verb contar (to tell/recount) is a better fit. Dizer is for the snapshots of information; contar is for the whole movie. Finally, don't use it for "saying hello" in the sense of a greeting ritual—usually, we use cumprimentar for that, though you can dizer "olá."

The biggest trap is trying to make eu regular. New learners often say eu dizo because it follows the pattern of other verbs like comer (como). Please, avoid this! Eu dizo sounds a bit like saying "I goed" in English. It’s adorable if you’re three years old, but maybe not in a business meeting. Another mistake is forgetting the que (that). In English, we often skip it: "He says he is hungry." In Portuguese, you almost always need it: Ele diz que tem fome. Also, watch your prepositions. If you are saying something *to* someone, you often need para or an indirect object like me. "Diz para mim" or "Diz-me." Using dizer without a target or a message can make your sentence feel unfinished, like a cliffhanger no one asked for.

Let’s settle the falar vs. dizer debate once and for all. Imagine a radio. The radio is falando (making noise, broadcasting). But the news anchor is dizendo the weather report. Falar is about the channel; dizer is about the content. If you say "Eu falei com ele," you had a conversation. If you say "Eu disse a ele," you gave him a specific piece of info. Then there is contar. Use contar for jokes, stories, and lies. Use dizer for facts, truths, and opinions. It’s like a grammar traffic light: falar is the green light to start making sounds, and dizer is the specific sign telling you which way to turn.