verb

dire

tell · say

C’est exprimer quelque chose avec des mots, souvent en parlant à quelqu’un.

Definition & meaning

The French verb dire is a high-frequency irregular verb that primarily means "to say" or "to tell." Depending on the context, it carries several nuanced meanings:

To communicate information: To express something in words, either orally or in writing. Example: Il a dit la vérité. (He told the truth.)
To state or declare: To express an opinion or a formal statement.
To mean or signify: Often used in the phrase "Qu'est-ce que ça veut dire?" (What does that mean?).
To tell someone to do something: When followed by "de" and an infinitive, it expresses an order or a suggestion. Example: Elle m'a dit de partir. (She told me to leave.)

Grammar & Word origin

Grammar:

Type: Irregular verb (3rd group).
Conjugation note: It is highly irregular in the present tense (vous dites) and the past participle (dit).
Usage: It is a transitive verb, meaning it usually takes a direct object (what is said) and sometimes an indirect object (the person to whom it is said).

Word origin:

Etymology: Derived from the Latin verb dicere, meaning "to say, speak, or tell." It is the root for many related words in both French and English (such as "dictation" or "diction").