were saying, used to say
Conheci algumas mulheres que se diziam bruxas.
I met some women who called themselves witches.
— Suspiria (1977)
De armas na mão, diziam ao meu pai que saísse.
With weapons in hand, they told my father to leave.
— Malcolm X (1992)
Diziam que havia algo na água que fazia as árvores crescerem.
They said there was something in the water that made the trees grow.
— O Senhor dos Anéis: As Duas Torres (2002)