Dire (to say) · Subjonctif
By TutorLily Editorial Team · Last updated
Dire in the French subjonctif présent is: je dise, tu dises, il/elle/on dise, nous disions, vous disiez, ils/elles disent. The subjonctif présent of dire uses the stem 'dis-' (from the indicative nous/ils stem), regular endings: que je dise, que tu dises, qu'il dise. 'Il faut que je te dise quelque chose' = 'I need to tell you something'.
| To Say | Dire |
|---|---|
| I say | je dise |
| you say | tu dises |
| he/she say | il/elle/on dise |
| we say | nous disions |
| you say | vous disiez |
| they say | ils/elles disent |
Dire (to say) in context
Sentences that use dire in the subjonctif. Tap each to hear it.
I need to say something.
I want you to tell the truth.
He needs to say what he thinks.
I'd like us to tell the truth.
Before you say no, listen to me.
I doubt they will say a word.
Working with the subjonctif
The subjonctif isn't a tense — it's a mood. It signals doubt, desire, emotion, necessity, or hypothetical possibility. The standard trigger families: "il faut que" (it's necessary), "je veux que" (I want), "je doute que" (I doubt), "avant que" (before), "bien que" (although), "pour que" (so that). The form usually comes from the third-person plural of the present indicative (ils parlent → que je parle). Most -er verbs look identical in subjonctif and indicative for je/tu/il/ils — only the nous/vous forms shift, and only irregular verbs like être (sois), avoir (aie), aller (aille), faire (fasse) need full memorisation.
Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate dire in the subjonctif?
When do I need to use the subjonctif of dire?
What's the difference between 'dire' and 'parler' in the subjonctif?
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