Dicere

Dicere is a Latin verb meaning “to say, to speak, to tell.” It is a common, active verb of the 3rd conjugation (ending in -ere). Its four principal parts are dīcō, dīcere, dixī, dictus, which establish its present, infinitive, perfect, and supine/participial forms and its passive participle.

In the present system, the active indicative forms are dīcō, dīcis, dīcit, dīcimus, dīcitis, dīcunt. The imperfect active is dīcēbam, dīcēbās, dīcēbat, dīcēbāmus, dīcēbātis, dīcēbant, and the future active is dicam, dices, dicet, dicemus, dicetis, dicent. The perfect active uses the principal perfect dixī, dixistī, dixit, diximus, dixistis, dixerunt (or dixērunt). The present passive is dicor, diceris, dicitur, dicimur, dicimini, dicuntur.

Dicere takes a direct object in the accusative for what is said, and often an indirect object in the dative for the person to whom it is spoken. It is also used with indirect speech and in clauses introduced by quod, ut, or ne, as in reported speech or for quoting what someone has spoken. The verb appears regularly in idiomatic expressions and compounds, and forms the basis for many Latin derivatives and loanwords.

Etymologically, dicere is the source of many English derivatives related to speaking and language, including diction, dictate, dictionary, and conditional formations like dictio. The related participle dictus yields words such as “dictum” (something said) and appears in passive perfect constructions.

See also: Latin grammar of the 3rd conjugation, indirect discourse, related derivatives (dict-, diction-, dictio).