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"Dice" is a form of "decir", a transitive verb which is often translated as "to say". "Come" is a form of "comer", a transitive verb which is often translated as "to eat". Learn more about the difference between "dice" and "come" below.
decir(
deh
-
seer
)
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
transitive verb
a. to say
¿Qué dijiste? No te escuché.What did you say? I couldn't hear you.
b. to tell
¿Jura decir la verdad?Do you swear to tell the truth?
a. to say
¿Qué dices de la nueva ley de transporte?What do you say about the new law on transportation?
b. to think
¿Y qué dices tú del asunto?What do you think about the whole issue?
c. to believe
¿Quién hubiera dicho que Juliana y Gustavo acabarían juntos?Who would have believed that Juliana and Gustavo would end up together?
a. to say
Dicen que va a nevar mañana.They say it's going to snow tomorrow.
a. to tell
Dile a tu hermano que haga sus tareas.Tell your brother to do his homework.
b. to say
Mamá dijo que nos teníamos que acostar.Mom said we had to go to sleep.
a. to recite
Ahora voy a decir un poema nuevo que escribí sobre el amor perdido.Now I will recite a poem I wrote about lost love.
a. to tell
El que no le interese planear la boda me dice que Jorge no está listo para casarse.The fact that he's not interested in planning the wedding tells me Jorge's not ready to get married.
a. to say
La Biblia dice que uno debe amar al prójimo.The Bible says we should love our neighbor.
a. to say (mass)
Después de decir la homilía, el sacerdote reparte la comunión.After the priest says the homily, he hands out Communion.
a. to go ahead
¿Le puedo pedir un favor? - ¡Claro! Dime, ¿en qué lo puedo ayudar?Can I ask a favor of you? - Of course! Go ahead, how can I help you?
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
intransitive verb
10. (used to answer the phone)
Regionalism used in Spain
(Spain)
a. hello (interjection)
¿Diga?Hello!
A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
masculine noun
a. saying
"De tal palo, tal astilla" es un decir popular."Like father, like son" is a popular saying.
a. manner of speaking
¡No te enfades, mujer! Es solo un decir.Come on, don't get annoyed! It's just a manner of speaking.
decirse
A reflexive verb is a verb that indicates that the subject performs an action on itself (e.g., Miguel se lava.).
reflexive verb
a. to tell oneself
Me dije que no volvería a empezar a fumar.I told myself that I wouldn't start smoking again.
b. to say to oneself
Me dije a mí misma, esto no parece estar bien.I said to myself, this doesn't feel right.
c. to think to oneself
Me sigo diciendo, ¿qué hubiera pasado si hubiera aceptado ese trabajo?I keep thinking to myself, what would have happened had I taken that job?
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comer(
koh
-
mehr
)
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
transitive verb
a. to eat
Me gusta comer manzanas.I like to eat apples.
2. (to eat for lunch)
Regionalism used in Mexico
(Mexico)
Regionalism used in Spain
(Spain)
a. to have for lunch
Tengo ganas de comer un sándwich de rosbif.I feel like having a roast beef sandwich for lunch.
3. (to eat for dinner)
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
(Latin America)
a. to have for dinner
Vamos a comer espagueti con albóndigas.We're going to have spaghetti and meatballs for dinner.
a. to hide
Ese sombrero te queda demasiado grande. ¡Te come la cara entera!That hat is too big for you. It hides your entire face!
b. to swallow up
Siento que estas gafas de sol me comen la cara.I feel like these sunglasses swallow up my face.
a. to eat up
El pago de la hipoteca de la casa me come la mayoría del sueldo.The mortgage payment on my house eats up most of my paycheck.
a. to take
Me comieron todos los peones.All my pawns were taken.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
intransitive verb
a. to eat
No quiero comer ahora mismo; no tengo hambre.I don't feel like eating right now. I'm not hungry.
8. (to eat lunch)
Regionalism used in Mexico
(Mexico)
Regionalism used in Spain
(Spain)
a. to have lunch
Comieron rápido porque tenían una reunión a la 1 pm.They had lunch quickly because they had a meeting at 1 pm.
9. (to have a meal in the evening)
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
(Latin America)
a. to have dinner
Comimos en un restaurante mexicano nuevo.We had dinner at a new Mexican restaurant.
comerse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
pronominal verb
a. to eat
Ella se comió el pastel entero.She ate the whole cake.
a. to eat away
El óxido se come el metal.Rust eats away metal.
b. to fade
El sol se comió la pintura del carro.The sun faded the paint on the car.
c. to corrode
La lluvia ácida se come las estatuas de bronce.Acid rain corrodes bronze statues.
a. to eat up
¡Los impuestos se me comen la mayor parte de mi sueldo!Much of my pay is eaten up by taxes!
b. to blow through
Iván se comió el premio que ganó en la lotería en pocos meses.Ivan blew through his lottery winnings in a few months.
a. to bite
Le pusieron un ungüento para que no siguiera comiéndose las uñas.They put an ointment on his nails so that he wouldn't bite them.
a. to miss
Te comiste toda la puntuación.You missed all the punctuation.
b. to swallow
Se comió las palabras cuando estaba hablando con su enamorada.He swallowed his words when he was talking to his crush.
a. to hit
Se comió el techo con la cabeza.He hit his head against the ceiling.
b. to crash into
Nos comimos la puerta del garaje cuando dimos marcha atrás.We crashed into the garage door when we reversed.
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