Digo

Digo is a term found in Romance languages as a verb form meaning “I say.” It primarily appears as the first-person singular present indicative of verbs meaning “to say” or “to tell.” In Spanish, digo derives from the verb decir (to say), and in Portuguese, it comes from dizer (to say). The form is used to state facts, report statements, or introduce direct discourse.

In Spanish, digo corresponds to the simple present tense for the speaker. Common conjugations of the verb decir in the present tense include digo, dices, dice, decimos, decís, dicen. Examples: “Digo la verdad” (I tell the truth) or “¿Qué dices?” (What do you say?). The form is also found in various idiomatic expressions and can transfer nuance from reporting speech to asserting one’s own viewpoint.

In Portuguese, digo is the first-person singular present indicative of dizer. Related forms include dizes, diz, dizemos, dizeis, dizem, with regional variations in usage between European and Brazilian Portuguese. Examples: “Eu digo a verdade” (I tell the truth) or “O que você diz?” (What do you say?). As in Spanish, digo functions to convey statements, claims, or reported speech.

Etymology and cognates: digo, dizer, and decir all trace their origins to Latin dicere, meaning “to say.” This root produced parallel verb forms across Romance languages, often with irregular spellings and endings in the first-person singular.

See also: Dicere, Decir, Dizer; Spanish and Portuguese verb conjugation patterns.