The verb to say · Conjugation
Present Simple of say
The answer: say / says
A1
Habits, routines and facts that are always true.
Quick answer
The Present Simple of the verb to say is say / says.
Example: I say hello to my friends.
Full conjugation in the Present Simple
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | say |
| You | say |
| He / She / It | says |
| We | say |
| You (pl.) | say |
| They | say |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. She says me ❌
Never put the person straight after say. To add the person, use to: She says hello to me. Or use tell: She tells me a story.
2. Says = /seɪz/ ❌
Says rhymes with fez. It does not have the vowel sound of say. It is one of the most surprising pronunciations in English. Said is the same: /sɛd/.
3. He say ❌
With he, she and it, use says, not say. He says hello, never he say hello.
Practice quiz
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Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate say in the present simple?+
Use say with I, you, we and they (I say hello). Use says with he, she and it (She says hello). Be careful: says sounds like /sɛz/ (it rhymes with fez), not /seɪz/.
How do you pronounce says?+
Says sounds like /sɛz/, like fez. It does not sound like /seɪz/, as you might expect. The letters ay lose their usual /eɪ/ sound here. This is a very common pronunciation mistake.
Is it she says me or she tells me?+
Say + the words (add to for the person): She says hello to me. Tell + the person + the words: She tells me a story. She says me hello ❌ is a common mistake.
What is the difference between I say and I'm saying?+
I say is for habits or general facts: I say hello every morning. I'm saying is for something happening now: I'm saying goodbye to my friends. It can also make your words stronger: I'm saying you're wrong!
How do you make a question with say in the present simple?+
Use do or does + subject + say (base form): Do you say hello to your neighbours? What does she say? Why do they say that? The helping verb do / does carries the tense, so say does not change.
Related pages: say Present Simple
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
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/present
© 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.
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More forms of the verb to say are coming soon.