Decir sin decir decir
Decir appears four times in the average B1 essay. These are the verbs that replace it, and each one commits you to something different: señalar merely points, sostener defends, admitir concedes.
decir
verboto sayseñalarformal
points at something without judging it
El informe señala tres problemas.
afirmarformal
states it as true, and takes responsibility for it
sostenerformal
defends it against an objection, often over time
El autor sostiene que el modelo ya no sirve.
plantearformal
puts an idea on the table for discussion
mencionarneutro
says it in passing, without developing it
admitirformal
says it although it weakens the argument
aclararneutro
says it to remove a misunderstanding
insistir enneutro
says it again because it was not taken up
Lo contrario
- callar · says nothing
- omitir · leaves it out, deliberately
- negar · says the opposite is true
mostrar
verboto showevidenciarformal
makes something visible that was already there
demostrarformal
proves it, with the evidence to back it
reflejarformal
shows it indirectly, as a symptom
Las cifras reflejan un cambio de hábitos.
poner de manifiestoformal
brings it into the open
revelarneutro
shows something that was hidden
ilustrarformal
shows it with an example rather than proof
Lo contrario
- ocultar · keeps it out of sight
- disimular · hides it while pretending otherwise
pensar
verboto thinkconsiderarformal
holds it as a settled view
estimarformal
holds it, with a calculation behind it
opinarneutro
holds it as an opinion and says so
sospecharneutro
suspects it without evidence
dar por sentadoneutro
takes it for granted
Damos por sentado que el precio va a subir.
Lo contrario
- dudar · holds back from believing it
- cuestionar · actively challenges it