Irregular verb
The verb to say
say → said → said
A1Meaning: to speak words; to tell someone something · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 10 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they say·he/she/it says(sounds like /sɛz/) - Past Simple:
said(sounds like /sɛd/, not /seɪd/) - Past participle:
said(the same as the Past Simple) - -ing form:
saying
Conjugation of the verb to say
Present Simple
| I | say |
| You | say |
| He / She / It | says |
| We | say |
| You (pl.) | say |
| They | say |
Present Perfect
| I | have said | I've said |
| You | have said | You've said |
| He / She / It | has said | He's / She's / It's said |
| We | have said | We've said |
| You (pl.) | have said | You've said |
| They | have said | They've said |
All the forms of the verb to say
Present Simple
Full pagesay / says
“I say hello to my friends.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are saying
“I am saying hello right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagesaid
“She said hello to me.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were saying
“I was saying hello when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has said
“I have already said that.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad said
“She had already said hello when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill say
“I will say hello tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to say
“I'm going to say hello this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould say
“I would say hello if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to say
1. Saying words
- She said hello.
- What did you say?
- I didn't say that!
2. Reporting what someone said
Say (that) + the rest of the sentence. People often leave out that. They say… means people in general say it.
- He said (that) he was tired.
- They say (that) it's going to rain.
3. Common expressions
Say sorry means to apologise. Let's say introduces an example or a guess. That is to say means in other words.
- say hello / goodbye
- say sorry
- say something
- let's say
- that is to say
Common mistakes to avoid
1. She said me hello ❌
Say + the words: She said hello. Tell + the person + the words: She told me the truth. To name the person after say, add to: She said hello to me.
2. Said = /seɪd/ ❌
Said sounds like /sɛd/ (like bed). Says sounds like /sɛz/ (like fez). They do not rhyme with say. Learn this pronunciation by heart.
3. I have sayed it ❌
Like have → had → had, the Past Simple and the past participle of say are the same: said. I said it yesterday (Past Simple). I have said it many times (Present Perfect).
Going further
Conjugating to say is a key skill in the English contest
Every year, the Big Challenge tests the key English verbs. Register your students so they can check their level in a real contest.
Register my students5,000 students every year · Primary and secondary
Practise on PLAYYou can conjugate to say. Now say it out loud.
This page explained everything. On PLAY, you practise this verb out loud in 3 minutes, until it comes naturally.
Practise to say on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersReady-made activities to practise to say in class
The Academy offers self-marking exercises and progress tracking for each student: your class practises, and you see who has got it and who needs more help.
Discover the Academy30-day free trial · No bank card needed
Related pages: say
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of say?+
The Past Simple of say is said (it sounds like /sɛd/). It is the same for every person: I said, she said, they said. The past participle is also said. Say → said → said.
How do you pronounce said?+
Said sounds like /sɛd/, like bed or red. The letters ai do not make their usual /eɪ/ sound here. It is the same with says: it sounds like /sɛz/, like fez. Many learners get this wrong, so practise it out loud.
What is the difference between say and tell?+
With say, you give the words: She said hello. With tell, you name the person first: She told me a secret. To add the person after say, use to: She said hello to me. Never say She said me hello.
How do you use said in reported speech?+
Use He said (that) + the rest of the sentence. You can leave out that, especially when you speak. The verb usually moves one step into the past: "I'm tired" becomes He said he was tired.
Is it I said him no or I told him no?+
Say I said no: Past Simple said + the words. With a person, say I said no to him or I told him no. I said him no is wrong: say needs to before the person.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/say
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.