¿Uso el subjuntivo aquí?

Question

¿El la siguiente frase tengo que usar el subjuntivo o el indicativo?

Todos dicen que estés/estás un desastre

(Everyone says that you are a mess)

Gracias,

Kerri

Answer 1

It doesn't need subjunctive in this case because it's TRUE that people said that comment.

When the translation of "decir que" goes from "says that" to "tells [someone] to", that's what makes it subjunctive.

Ella dice que escribes mucho. [She says that you write a lot.]

Ella dice que escribas mucho. [She tells you to write a lot.]

Hopefully that example makes the difference clearer!

Todos dicen que estás un desastre. (Everyone says that you are a mess)

Todos dicen que estés un desastre (Everyone tells you to be a mess!)

Answer 2

estás