French · Everyday Verbs
"to say" in French: dire
dire
To say in French is dire. Present forms include je dis, tu dis, il/elle dit, nous disons, vous dites, ils disent. Comment dit-on… ? means how do you say… ?
Learning a word
Comment dit-on « window » en français ?Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce dire
Say it
deer
/diʁ/
Dire is deer. Dis and dit sound like dee. Dites is deet. Disent is deez with a soft z.
"to say" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| dire | to say / to tell Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| je dis / tu dis / il dit | I say / you say / he says Present. | Present. |
| comment dit-on… ? | how do you say… ? Asking for a word. | Asking for a word. |
| ça veut dire | that means Explaining meaning. | Explaining meaning. |
How to use dire in real life
- 1Learning a word
Comment dit-on « window » en français ?
How do you say “window” in French?
Dit-on inversion.
- 2Repeating instructions
Tu dis toujours la même chose.
You always say the same thing.
Tu dis.
- 3Clarifying
Qu'est-ce que ça veut dire, exactement ?
What does that mean, exactly?
Ça veut dire.
Mistakes English speakers make with dire
Incorrect: Je dire la vérité.
Correct: Je dis la vérité.
Conjugate: je dis, not je dire.
Incorrect: Vous disez ça ?
Correct: Vous dites ça ?
The vous form is dites, not disez.
Good to know
Dire is the workhorse for say. For storytelling with plot detail, French often prefers raconter; for the wording of a sentence, stick with dire.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Checking how to phrase something
ChatPal
Tu dis « bonjour » en entrant, d'accord ?
You say “bonjour” when you walk in, okay?
You
Oui. Et après je dis ce que je veux ?
Yes. And then I say what I want?
ChatPal
Exactement. Simple et poli.
Exactly. Simple and polite.
You
Parfait, je m'en souviendrai.
Perfect, I'll remember.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to say" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to say" in French
What is to say in French?
Dire.
How do I say I say?
Je dis.
How do you say how do you say… ?
Comment dit-on… ?
What is the vous form?
Vous dites.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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