Decir que + indicative or subjunctive
C1Grammar path · Lesson 82 of 86 · Stage C1 · Subjunctive nuances
You use decir que all the time to pass on what someone said, but the verb after que changes with the meaning. If you report a fact or a piece of news, use the indicative: dice que viene means he says he is coming. If you pass on an order, request or advice, use the subjunctive: dice que vengas means he says you should come. The pattern is decir que + indicative for information and decir (a alguien) que + subjunctive for instructions. In the past, the subjunctive becomes imperfect: dijo que vinieras. Do not confuse this with ordinary reported speech, where dijo que only shifts the tense and stays in the indicative.
Practise this lesson · 10 sentences
Form
sujeto + decir + que + indicativosujeto + (pronombre) + decir + que + presente de subjuntivosujeto + (pronombre) + dijo + que + imperfecto de subjuntivono + decir + que + subjuntivoWhen to use it
Reporting a fact or piece of news
When you simply pass on what someone said, the verb after que is in the indicative. You are relaying information, not asking anyone to do anything.
Passing on an order or request
When decir means 'tell someone to do something', the verb after que is in the subjunctive. There is often a pronoun for the person receiving the order: me, te, le, les.
Rejecting a statement
With no digo que or nadie dijo que, the speaker does not assert the content, so the subjunctive is normal. Whatever the speaker does assert stays in the indicative.
Signal words
Don't confuse it with
Frequently asked questions
When does decir que take the subjunctive?
When decir passes on an order, request or advice, meaning it tells someone to do something: me dice que espere. If it only reports information, use the indicative.
What is the difference between dice que viene and dice que venga?
Dice que viene means he says he is coming, a piece of information. Dice que venga means he says someone should come, a request.
Which subjunctive goes after dijo que for a request?
Use the imperfect subjunctive: me dijo que llamara. In normal use you do not put the present subjunctive after a past-tense decir.
Does no digo que always take the subjunctive?
Almost always, because the speaker is not asserting the content: no digo que sea fácil. When you just report that someone did not mention something, as in no dijo que venía, the indicative is still possible.
Which verbs work like decir que?
Escribir, repetir, avisar and recordar also take the indicative for information and the subjunctive for requests: te recuerdo que la reunión es hoy, te recuerdo que traigas el informe.