I was say

USAGE SUMMARY

"I was say" is not a correct and usable phrase in written English.
The phrase "I said" is the most commonly used form of expressing past tense speaking. For example, "I said I would not be home until late".

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

And I was say probably in the more recent election as well.

The Guardian

"I am dissenting more now than I was, say, five years ago — a lot more — and I'd prefer not to dissent.

The New Yorker

And so he falls easily back into industry cadences: "If I was, say, Notre Dame or something, where there's this football tradition?

The New York Times

"I am dissenting more now than I was, say, five years ago a lot more and I'd prefer not to dissent.

The New Yorker

"From the time I was, say, 17 to the time I'm 88, I have been exposed to a galaxy of wonderful people, to challenging situations, to worldwide problems, sometimes to weaknesses and sometimes to strengths.

The New York Times

I guess that to be here is already an accomplishment in itself, because when I look back to where I was, say, 10 or 11 months ago, or even three months ago, I'm definitely blessed to be here, especially after playing a few tournaments and getting a few matches on grass already, to be in the field of great players".

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

(i) is said to be accretive if (1.6).

Journal of Inequalities and Applications

"I was saying, nothing".

The New York Times

I was saying.

The New York Times

"I was saying: 'Be bold.

The New York Times - Sports

"I was saying your name".

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the correct past tense form of "say", which is "said", unless you intend to use the past continuous "was saying" to indicate an ongoing action in the past.

Common error

Avoid using "I was say" as it's grammatically incorrect. Instead, use "I said" for a completed action in the past, or "I was saying" to indicate that you were in the process of saying something.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I was say" is grammatically incorrect. The correct forms are either "I said", indicating a completed action of speaking, or "I was saying", indicating an ongoing action. Ludwig AI identifies it as non-standard usage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "I was say" is grammatically incorrect. According to Ludwig AI, the correct past tense forms are "I said" or "I was saying", depending on whether you're referring to a completed action or an ongoing one. While the phrase appears in some sources, it is not standard English. It's crucial to use "I said" or "I was saying" for clear and correct communication. The phrase "I was say" is considered to be informal due to grammatical errors.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I said

Replaces the grammatically incorrect "say" with the correct past tense form "said".

I was saying

Corrects the grammar by using the past continuous form, indicating an ongoing action in the past.

I meant to say

Indicates an intention to say something, which might have been misspoken.

I wanted to say

Expresses a desire to communicate something, whether or not it was actually said.

I intended to say

Highlights the speaker's original intention in uttering certain words.

I tried to say

Indicates an attempt to express something, which might have been difficult.

What I meant was

Emphasizes the clarification of a previously stated idea.

I was about to say

Indicates that the speaker was on the verge of saying something before being interrupted or changing their mind.

I should have said

Expresses regret or second thoughts about something not said.

If I were to say

Introduces a hypothetical statement or suggestion.

FAQs

What's the correct way to express a past statement?

The correct way to express a past statement is by using "I said". For example, "I said I would be there" is correct, while "I was say I would be there" is not.

When should I use "I was saying"?

"I was saying" indicates that you were in the process of saying something. For example, "I was saying that we need to leave early, but then the phone rang." Use "I said" when the action of saying is completed.

What can I say instead of "I was say"?

Instead of "I was say", you should use grammatically correct alternatives such as "I said", "I was saying", or "I meant to say" depending on the context.

Is "I was say" ever correct in English?

No, "I was say" is not a correct phrase in standard English. It is a grammatical error. Use "I said" or "I was saying" instead.