Spanish · C1 · Family moment
Little Things People Tell Us in Spanish
This guide focuses on the subtle art of reporting information received from others without claiming personal firsthand knowledge. At a C1 level, we move beyond simple verbs like 'decir' to use structures that naturally distance the speaker from the claim, such as the passive 'se dice que' or the adverb 'al parecer'.
What you'll learn
- Use 'se dice que' and 'al parecer' to relay hearsay.
- Correctly frame past events reported by others using perfect structures.
- Distinguish between personal observation and third-party reports in daily childcare contexts.
- Maintain a natural, affectionate tone while using advanced reported speech structures.
Spanish phrases for little things people tell us
Al parecer, el parque está muy tranquilo esta mañana; ¿vamos a echar un vistazo?
Apparently, the park is very quiet this morning; shall we have a look?
'Al parecer' is a sophisticated way to introduce information from an external source.
Se dice que esta nana tiene una melodía especialmente suave; vamos a escucharla juntos.
This lullaby is said to have a particularly gentle melody; let's listen together.
'Se dice que' functions like 'It is said that' or 'is said to'.
Al parecer, los patos se reúnen junto al puentecito; miraremos desde el camino.
Apparently, the ducks gather by the little bridge; we'll watch from the path.
Note the use of the diminutive 'puentecito' to maintain a child-friendly tone.
Se dice que el nuevo libro de ilustraciones tiene unos dibujos de animales preciosos y grandes.
The new picture book is said to have lovely big animal pictures.
Using 'se dice que' places the source of the praise on others (reviewers, friends).
Al parecer, saludaste a la abuela antes; ojalá lo hubiera visto.
Apparently, you waved at Grandma earlier; I wish I'd seen that.
'Ojalá lo hubiera visto' uses the pluperfect subjunctive for a past regret.
Se dice que has intentado decir un poquito 'ba' esta mañana; te escucho, cariño.
You are said to have tried a little 'ba' this morning; I'm listening, sweetheart.
The perfect tense 'has intentado' connects the reported past action to the present conversation.
Al parecer, te quedaste dormido antes de que papá terminara la canción.
Apparently, you fell asleep before Daddy finished the song.
Uses 'antes de que' followed by the imperfect subjunctive 'terminara'.
Se dice que el abuelo ha encontrado tu calcetín perdido; quizás ambos pies puedan estar calentitos otra vez.
Grandpa is said to have found your missing sock; perhaps both feet can be cosy again.
'Calentito' is the child-friendly way to say 'cosy' or 'warm'.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
Al parecer
Apparently / Seemingly
A frequent adverbial phrase used to report information without verifying it.
Se dice que
It is said that
An impersonal passive construction used for hearsay or general reputations.
Nana
Lullaby
Commonly used in Spain; 'canción de cuna' is also widely used.
Echar un vistazo
To have a look / To check out
A very natural idiomatic expression.
Reporting Hearsay at C1
While 'deber de' or 'sollen' (in German) might imply probability, Spanish often uses 'al parecer' or the impersonal 'se' to distance the speaker from the facts. This preserves the 'hearsay' quality without implying the speaker is suspicious.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present Hearsay | Al parecer + [Indicative] | Al parecer, no tiene hambre. |
| Passive Hearsay | Se dice que + [Indicative] | Se dice que es el mejor parque. |
| Past Reported Action | Al parecer + [Preterite/Imperfect] | Al parecer, comió bien hoy. |
More examples
Según me cuentan, te portaste muy bien en la guardería.
From what they tell me, you behaved very well at daycare.
'Según me cuentan' is another excellent C1 alternative to 'al parecer'.
Dicen que va a llover, así que mejor nos quedamos dentro.
They say it's going to rain, so we better stay inside.
The third-person plural 'dicen que' is the most common informal way to report hearsay.