Navigating the complexities of foreign languages can be an exhilarating endeavor. Embarking on a journey to master the intricacies of Spanish, one of the world’s most widely spoken languages, can be particularly rewarding. If you’re eager to engage in meaningful conversations with Spanish speakers, grasping the nuances of saying “to” correctly is essential. This comprehensive guide will delve into the various ways to express “to” in Spanish, providing you with the knowledge and confidence to interact effectively in this vibrant language.
The most common way to say “to” in Spanish is “a.” This preposition is used to indicate direction or destination. For example, to say “I’m going to the store,” you would say “Voy a la tienda.” Additionally, “a” can be used before personal pronouns to indicate an indirect object. For instance, to say “I’m giving the book to him,” you would say “Le doy el libro a él.” Moreover, “a” is employed before infinitives to form the infinitive construction, which is commonly used to express purpose or intention. For example, to say “I’m here to help,” you would say “Estoy aquí para ayudar.”
In certain contexts, other prepositions can be used to convey the meaning of “to.” For instance, “para” is often used to indicate a purpose or destination. For example, to say “I’m going to the park to play,” you would say “Voy al parque para jugar.” Additionally, “hacia” is employed to indicate a direction or approximate location. For example, to say “I’m walking towards the beach,” you would say “Estoy caminando hacia la playa.”
Formal Way: “Decir”
The most formal way to say “to say” in Spanish is “decir.” It is a regular verb that follows the standard conjugation rules. The present tense conjugation of “decir” is as follows:
| Person | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | Digo |
| Tú | Dices |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Dice |
| Nosotros | Decimos |
| Vosotros | Decís |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Dicen |
For example, to say “I say,” you would say “Yo digo.” To say “you say,” you would say “Tú dices.” And to say “he/she/you say,” you would say “Él/Ella/Usted dice.”
“Decir” can be used in a variety of contexts. It can be used to report what someone said, to express an opinion, or to give instructions. For example:
- Me dijo que llegaría tarde. (He told me that he would be late.)
- Creo que tienes razón. (I think you’re right.)
- Dígale que lo espero en la puerta. (Tell him I’m waiting for him at the door.)
Informal Way: “Hablar”
When speaking casually, you can use the verb “hablar” to say “to say” in Spanish. This verb is commonly used in everyday conversations and is conjugated according to the subject pronoun.
Here are some examples of how to use “hablar” in sentences:
- “Yo hablo español.” (I speak Spanish.)
- “Tú hablas inglés.” (You speak English.)
- “Él habla francés.” (He speaks French.)
- “Nosotros hablamos italiano.” (We speak Italian.)
- “Vosotros habláis alemán.” (You all speak German.)
- “Ellos hablan ruso.” (They speak Russian.)
| Subject Pronoun | Conjugation of “Hablar” |
|---|---|
| Yo | Hablo |
| Tú | Hablas |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Habla |
| Nosotros | Hablamos |
| Vosotros | Habláis |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Hablan |
In some parts of Spain, the verb “decir” is used instead of “hablar” in informal settings. However, “hablar” is the more widely accepted and commonly used verb.
Uses of “Decir”
The verb “decir” is a highly versatile verb in Spanish, and is used to express a wide range of meanings and functions.
1. To state or declare something
This is the most basic and common use of “decir”, and simply means to say something out loud. For example:
**Decir** la verdad: To tell the truth
**Decir** un secreto: To tell a secret
2. To express an opinion or belief
**Decir** can also be used to express your opinion or belief about something. For example:
**Decir** que el gobierno está haciendo un buen trabajo: To say that the government is doing a good job
**Decir** que la película fue aburrida: To say that the movie was boring
3. To give an order or instruction
**Decir** can also be used to give an order or instruction to someone else. For example:
**Decir** a alguien que se vaya: To tell someone to leave
**Decir** a alguien que haga algo: To tell someone to do something
| Forms of “Decir” | Translation |
|---|---|
| Decir | To say |
| Dijo | He/she said |
| Dijiste | You said |
| Dijimos | We said |
| Dijeron | They said |
Uses of “Hablar”
Conjugating “Hablar”
To conjugate “hablar” (to speak), you need to know the subject pronoun and the verb tense. The following table shows the present tense conjugation of “hablar”:
| Subject Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | hablo |
| tú | hablas |
| él/ella/usted | habla |
| nosotros/nosotras | hablamos |
| vosotros/vosotras | habláis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hablan |
Basic Use: Speaking to Someone
The most basic use of “hablar” is to talk to someone. In this context, “hablar” is followed by the preposition “a” and the person you are speaking to:
Estoy hablando a mi amigo.
I am talking to my friend.
Talking About a Language
“Hablar” can also be used to talk about a language. In this context, “hablar” is followed by the preposition “de” and the language:
Hablamos de español.
We are talking about Spanish.
Discussing a Topic
Finally, “hablar” can be used to discuss a topic. In this context, “hablar” is followed by the preposition “de” and the topic:
Hablamos de la economía.
We are talking about the economy.
Conjugation of “Decir”
Present Tense
The present tense of “decir” is used to express actions that are happening now or habitually. Its conjugation varies depending on the subject pronoun:
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | Digo |
| Tú | Dices |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Dice |
| Nosotros/Nosotras | Decimos |
| Vosotros/Vosotras | Decís |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Dicen |
Preterite Tense
The preterite tense is used to express completed actions in the past. The conjugation of “decir” in the preterite is as follows:
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | Dije |
| Tú | Dijiste |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Dijo |
| Nosotros/Nosotras | Dijimos |
| Vosotros/Vosotras | Dijisteis |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Dijeron |
Imperfect Tense
The imperfect tense is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past. Its conjugation is as follows:
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | Decía |
| Tú | Decías |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Decía |
| Nosotros/Nosotras | Decíamos |
| Vosotros/Vosotras | Decíais |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Decían |
Future Tense
The future tense is used to express actions that will happen in the future. The conjugation of “decir” in the future is as follows:
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | Diré |
| Tú | Dirás |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Dirá |
| Nosotros/Nosotras | Diremos |
| Vosotros/Vosotras | Diréis |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Dirán |
Conjugation of “Hablar”
The verb “hablar” means “to speak” or “to talk” in Spanish. It is a regular verb that follows the -ar conjugation pattern.
Present Tense
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | hablo |
| tú | hablas |
| él/ella/usted | habla |
| nosotros/nosotras | hablamos |
| vosotros/vosotras | habláis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hablan |
Preterite Tense
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | hablé |
| tú | hablaste |
| él/ella/usted | habló |
| nosotros/nosotras | hablamos |
| vosotros/vosotras | hablasteis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hablaron |
Imperfect Tense
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | hablaba |
| tú | hablabas |
| él/ella/usted | hablaba |
| nosotros/nosotras | hablábamos |
| vosotros/vosotras | hablabais |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hablaban |
Future Tense
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | hablaré |
| tú | hablarás |
| él/ella/usted | hablará |
| nosotros/nosotras | hablaremos |
| vosotros/vosotras | hablaréis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hablarán |
Conditional Tense
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | hablaría |
| tú | hablarías |
| él/ella/usted | hablaría |
| nosotros/nosotras | hablaríamos |
| vosotros/vosotras | hablaríais |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hablarían |
Subjunctive Tense
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | hable |
| tú | hables |
| él/ella/usted | hable |
| nosotros/nosotras | hablemos |
| vosotros/vosotras | habléis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hablen |
Idiomatic Expressions with “Decir”
1. Decir algo a alguien
This is the most basic way to say “to say something to someone” in Spanish. For example, “Le dije que te quería” means “I told him that I loved you.”
2. Decir algo sobre algo
This phrase is used to talk about saying something about a specific topic. For example, “Dijo algo sobre la película” means “He said something about the movie.”
3. Decir algo con alguien
This phrase is used when you’re talking about saying something with someone else. For example, “Dijimos algo con nuestros amigos” means “We said something with our friends.”
4. Decir algo por alguien
This phrase is used to talk about saying something on behalf of someone else. For example, “Dije algo por mi hermana” means “I said something on behalf of my sister.”
5. Decir algo en contra de alguien
This phrase is used to talk about saying something against someone. For example, “Dijo algo en contra de mí” means “He said something against me.”
6. Decir algo a favor de alguien
This phrase is used to talk about saying something in favor of someone. For example, “Dijo algo a favor de mí” means “He said something in favor of me.”
7. Indirect Requests with “Decir”
The verb “decir” can also be used to make indirect requests. This is done by using the subjunctive mood of the verb. For example, if you want to ask someone to close the door, you would say “Dígame que cierre la puerta,” which literally means “Tell me to close the door.” This is a more polite way to make a request than using the imperative mood (e.g., “Cierra la puerta”). The table below shows some examples of indirect requests with “decir”:
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Could you please close the door? | Dígame que cierre la puerta. |
| Can you turn off the lights? | Dígame que apague las luces. |
| Would you mind helping me with this? | Dígame que me ayude con esto. |
Idiomatic Expressions with “Hablar”
In Spanish, the verb “hablar” (to speak) is used in a variety of idiomatic expressions. Here are some common ones:
Hablar a calzón quitao’: To speak frankly or openly.
Hablar por los codos: To talk a lot or excessively.
Hablar por hablar: To speak without thinking or saying anything meaningful.
Hablar por señas: To communicate using gestures or sign language.
Hablar por teléfono: To speak on the phone.
Hablar sobre algo: To speak about something.
Hablar con alguien: To speak with someone.
Hablar bien de alguien: To speak well of someone.
| Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hablar a calzón quitao’ | To speak frankly or openly |
| Hablar por los codos | To talk a lot or excessively |
| Hablar por hablar | To speak without thinking or saying anything meaningful |
| Hablar por señas | To communicate using gestures or sign language |
| Hablar por teléfono | To speak on the phone |
| Hablar sobre algo | To speak about something |
| Hablar con alguien | To speak with someone |
| Hablar bien de alguien | To speak well of someone |
How to Say “To” in Spanish
In Spanish, there are three main verbs that can translate to “to” in English: decir, hablar, and contar.
Decir is used when you want to convey a message, thought, or idea. Hablar is used when you want to have a conversation or talk about something. Contar is used when you want to narrate a story or relate an event.
Common Mistakes in Using “Decir” and “Hablar”
Here are some common mistakes that learners of Spanish make when using decir and hablar:
- Using decir when they should use hablar. For example, they might say “Decirle a mi amigo que venga” (To tell my friend to come) instead of “Hablarle a mi amigo y decirle que venga” (To talk to my friend and tell him to come).
- Using hablar when they should use decir. For example, they might say “Hablar a mis alumnos que estudien” (To talk to my students to study) instead of “Decirles a mis alumnos que estudien” (To tell my students to study).
- Using decir when they should use contar. For example, they might say “Decir un cuento” (To tell a story) instead of “Contar un cuento” (To relate a story).
- Using hablar when they should use contar. For example, they might say “Hablar una historia” (To talk a story) instead of “Contar una historia” (To tell a story).
- Using decir when they should use preguntar. For example, they might say “Decir a alguien su nombre” (To tell someone your name) instead of “Preguntarle a alguien su nombre” (To ask someone their name).
- Using hablar when they should use preguntar. For example, they might say “Hablar a alguien si quiere ir” (To talk to someone if they want to go) instead of “Preguntarle a alguien si quiere ir” (To ask someone if they want to go).
- Using decir when they should use responder. For example, they might say “Decir a alguien una pregunta” (To tell someone a question) instead of “Responderle a alguien una pregunta” (To answer someone a question).
- Using hablar when they should use responder. For example, they might say “Hablar a alguien para responderle” (To talk to someone to answer them) instead of “Responderle a alguien” (To answer someone).
- Using decir when they should use ordenar. For example, they might say “Decirle a alguien que haga algo” (To tell someone to do something) instead of “Ordenarle a alguien que haga algo” (To order someone to do something).
- Using hablar when they should use ordenar. For example, they might say “Hablarle a alguien para ordenarle que haga algo” (To talk to someone to order them to do something) instead of “Ordenarle a alguien que haga algo” (To order someone to do something).
Equivalent Phrases to “To Say”
In addition to “decir” (to say), there are several other phrases you can use to express the act of speaking in Spanish:
Expresar
This verb is used to indicate the act of expressing an opinion or idea. It is more formal than “decir” and is often used in written contexts.
Manifestar
This verb means to make known one’s thoughts or feelings. It is often used in formal settings, such as in speeches or presentations.
Declarar
This verb is used to make a formal statement or declaration. It is often used in legal or official contexts.
Asegurar
This verb means to assure or state something with certainty. It is often used to emphasize the speaker’s confidence in their statement.
Comunicar
This verb refers to the act of conveying information or ideas. It is often used in contexts where there is a need for clear and effective communication.
Informar
This verb means to provide information to someone. It is often used in formal settings, such as in news reports or scientific papers.
Conversar
This verb refers to the act of having a conversation. It is used to describe informal exchanges of thoughts and ideas between two or more people.
Platicar
This verb is a more informal way of saying “conversar.” It is often used to refer to casual conversations between friends or family members.
Hablar
This verb has a broad meaning and can refer to any type of speaking, from formal speeches to casual conversations. It is the most general term for “to say” in Spanish.
Decirle
This phrase is used to address someone directly when speaking to them. It is similar to “decir” but adds a sense of directness or familiarity.
How To Say To In Spanish
The Spanish word for "to" is "a". It is used to indicate the direction or destination of an action. For example, "Voy a la escuela" means "I am going to school."
The word “a” can also be used to indicate the purpose of an action. For example, “Estudio a español” means “I am studying Spanish.”
In some cases, the word “a” can be omitted. For example, “Voy a comer” can be shortened to “Voy comer.”
People Also Ask About How To Say To In Spanish
Is there a difference between "a" and "hacia"?
Yes, there is a difference between “a” and “hacia”. “A” indicates a specific destination, while “hacia” indicates a general direction.
For example, “Voy a la escuela” means “I am going to school,” while “Voy hacia la escuela” means “I am going in the direction of the school.”
Can "a" be used to indicate time?
Yes, “a” can be used to indicate time. It is used to indicate the time of an event or action.
For example, “Voy a comer a las 8:00” means “I am going to eat at 8:00.”
