Me dicen vs dicenme
Do both of these mean "They told me."?
5 Answers
Remember that you cannot attach pronouns directly to a conjugated verb, only an infinitive.
This is not true. If you are giving an order you would attach a pronoun to the imperative form of a verb. For example: Diganme si estas calles son peligrosas. Tell me if these streets are dangerous.
Otherwise the rest of your answer is correct.
Nowadays this is a no-no, but in archaic Spanish direct/indirect object pronouns were often connected to conjugated verbs in literature. For example this occurs in Don Quijote when the verb is the first element in the sentence. So depending on what you read, you definitely may have seen something like this. The two do have the same meaning
The first one makes sense, the second doesn't.
Me dicen que estas calles son peligrosas. correct
Dicenme que estas calles son peligrosas. incorrect
Remember that you cannot attach pronouns directly to a conjugated verb, only an infinitive.
Acabósele la gasolina al vehículo - Se le acabó la gasolina al vehículo.
None of the two are incorrect but the 2nd one is the most used. The reflexive form would sound strange though.
Me dicen = They tell me (present)
Me dijeron = The told me (past preterit)
As fatchocobo says, you certainly can (and must) attach a pronoun to the command form.
Dime la verdad = Tell me (tú command) the truth.
Dígame la verdad = Tell me (formal command) the truth.
