Italian · Everyday Verbs
"to say" in Italian: dire
dire
To say in Italian is dire (DEE-reh). It is irregular: io dico, tu dici, lui/lei dice, noi diciamo, voi dite, loro dicono. The past participle is detto. Come si dice…? means how do you say…?
Asking for a word
Come si dice "keyboard" in italiano?Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce dire
Say it
DEE-reh
/ˈdi.re/
Dire is DEE-reh. Dico is DEE-koh. Detto is DET-toh with a double t.
"to say" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| dire | to say Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| dico / dici / dice | I say / you say / he-she says Irregular present. | Irregular present. |
| detto | said Past participle. | Past participle. |
| come si dice…? | how do you say…? Learner classic. | Learner classic. |
How to use dire in real life
- 1Asking for a word
Come si dice "keyboard" in italiano?
How do you say "keyboard" in Italian?
Come si dice uses dire.
- 2Reporting speech
Marco dice che arriva alle otto.
Marco says he arrives at eight.
Dice conjugation.
- 3Polite request
Posso dire una cosa?
May I say something?
Infinitive after posso.
Mistakes English speakers make with dire
Incorrect: Io dire la verità.
Correct: Dico la verità.
Conjugate: io dico, not io dire.
Incorrect: Ho dicuto di no.
Correct: Ho detto di no.
Past participle is detto.
Good to know
Come si dice…? is the survival phrase every learner hears and uses. Dire la verità and non so che dire are everyday. For storytelling, prefer raccontare; dire covers words, opinions, and quotes.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Checking a restaurant phrase
ChatPal
Come si dice "bill" al ristorante?
How do you say "bill" at the restaurant?
You
Si dice "il conto". Giusto?
You say "il conto". Right?
ChatPal
Sì. Puoi dire: Il conto, per favore.
Yes. You can say: The bill, please.
You
Perfetto. Lo dico io alla fine.
Perfect. I'll say it at the end.
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 Italian
Why is io dico so different?
Dire is irregular—memorise dico, dici, dice with detto.
Dire vs parlare?
Dire = say specific words; parlare = speak / talk.
Dire vs raccontare?
Raccontare = tell a story; dire = say.
How do you say…?
Come si dice…?
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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