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FrenchConjugationPrésent

Dire (to say) · Présent

By TutorLily Editorial Team · Last updated

Dire in the French présent is: je dis, tu dis, il/elle/on dit, nous disons, vous dites, ils/elles disent. The present of dire is irregular. 'Vous dites' is the standout — one of only three French verbs with an irregular vous form (alongside être/êtes and faire/faites). Used heavily in reporting speech: 'je dis que...' (I say that...).

dire conjugation in the Présent
To SayDire
I say
je dis
you say
tu dis
he/she says
il/elle/on dit
we say
nous disons
you say
vous dites
they say
ils/elles disent
Examples

Dire (to say) in context

Sentences that use dire in the présent. Tap each to hear it.

Je dis toujours la vérité.

I always tell the truth.

Qu'est-ce que tu dis?

What are you saying?

Il dit que c'est trop tard.

He says it's too late.

Nous disons souvent des bêtises.

We often say silly things.

Vous dites quoi exactement?

What exactly are you saying?

Ils disent qu'il va pleuvoir.

They say it's going to rain.

Tip

Working with the présent

French uses the present tense more broadly than English does. "Je parle français" can mean "I speak French," "I am speaking French," or "I do speak French" — context decides. Note that "on" (technically third-person singular: "on parle") is the everyday spoken equivalent of "nous" — French speakers use it constantly in conversation. "Nous parlons" feels more formal or written; "on parle" is what you actually hear in everyday speech.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How do you conjugate dire in the present tense?
Dire in the present is: je dis, tu dis, il/elle/on dit, nous disons, vous dites, ils/elles disent. Note 'vous dites' — irregular -tes ending shared only with être and faire. Beginners often slip and say 'vous disez', which immediately marks them as non-native.
What's the difference between dire and parler?
Dire = to say specific words or to tell (always with content): 'je dis que oui' (I say yes), 'il dit la vérité' (he tells the truth). Parler = to speak / to talk (the act of speaking, often without object): 'je parle français' (I speak French), 'nous parlons' (we're talking). 'Je te parle' = I'm talking to you (the act); 'je te dis quelque chose' = I'm telling you something (the content).
How does 'dire à quelqu'un de + infinitive' work?
'Dire à quelqu'un de + infinitive' = 'to tell someone to do X': 'je lui dis de partir' (I tell him to leave), 'mes parents me disent d'étudier' (my parents tell me to study). The 'à + person' is replaced by an indirect-object pronoun (me, te, lui, nous, vous, leur). This structure is the standard French way to convey commands or instructions reported through dire.
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More tenses of Dire (To Say)

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Dire (to say) · Passé Composé

More verbs in présent

All tenses
Dire (to say)
présent
Être (to be)
présent
Avoir (to have)
présent
Aller (to go)
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