Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Eu digo que a notícia é fantástica.

Eu digo que a notícia é fantástica.

I say that the news is fantastic.

Breakdown of Eu digo que a notícia é fantástica.

Questions & Answers about Eu digo que a notícia é fantástica.

Why is it digo and not 'dizo' if the verb is dizer?

The verb dizer (to say/tell) is irregular in the present tense. Instead of following the normal rules, the eu (I) form becomes digo. It is one of several common verbs you are learning right now, like fazer which becomes faço, that have an unexpected eu form.

Why is notícia singular here when the English translation says 'news'?

In English, 'news' always ends in 's' even though it acts like a singular word. In Portuguese, uma notícia is a single piece of news or a specific news story. If you are talking about the news in general or a television broadcast, you would use the plural as notícias.

Why do we use é instead of está for 'is' in this sentence?

We use é, from the verb ser, because being 'fantastic' is a defining quality of this specific piece of news. Remember that ser is used for permanent or inherent characteristics, while estar is used for temporary states.

Can I drop the word que like we often drop 'that' in English?

No. In English you can say 'I say the news is fantastic' by dropping 'that'. In Portuguese, the conjunction que is required to connect these two parts of the sentence together. You must always include it.