What is the difference between dire and parler?

Dire focuses on what is said (the content); parler focuses on the act of speaking.

How do you conjugate dire in the French present tense?

dire (to say) is conjugated in the French present tense by changing the ending for each pronoun. The full table above shows every form with audio so you can hear the correct pronunciation.

What does dire mean in English?

dire translates to "to say" in English. The exact nuance can change with context — practising example sentences inside SPEAKZY is the fastest way to internalise it.

When do you use the Present tense in French?

The Present tense in French is used to describe actions or states tied to a specific time frame. Use the example sentences above as templates for your own speech.

Is dire a regular or irregular French verb?

Many of the most common French verbs (like dire) have irregular forms in at least one tense. Compare the conjugation pattern above against a regular verb to spot the differences.

dire

A1irregular#5 most common

to say

Also: to tell

/diʁ/dire

Meaning & usage

Used to report speech. Watch out for the irregular vous form: vous dites.

Conjugation

Pronoun	dire	Audio
je	dis
tu	dis
il / elle / on	dit
nous	disons
vous	dites
ils / elles	disent

dire by tense

dire present tense dire passé composé tense dire imparfait tense dire future tense dire conditional tense dire present perfect tense dire subjonctif présent tense

Example sentences

Je dis la vérité.
I am telling the truth.
Qu'est-ce que tu dis ?
What are you saying?

Common expressions

vouloir dire
to mean
c'est-à-dire
that is to say

Quick practice

Question 1 of 5Score: 0

Choose the correct form: yo ___ (Imperfect)

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Frequently asked

What is the difference between dire and parler?
Dire focuses on what is said (the content); parler focuses on the act of speaking.

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