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Say, tell, speak, or talk
Say goes with the words, tell goes with the listener, speak fits languages and formal settings, and talk fits a conversation.
Quick rule
The words? Say. The listener? Tell. A language or a formal setting? Speak. A conversation? Talk.
It goes with the words themselves. If you name the listener, it takes to: say hello, say it to me.
It goes with the listener, right after the verb: tell me, tell her the truth. It also fits tell a story.
To use a language, or to talk in a more formal setting: speak Spanish, speak to the manager.
To have a conversation with someone, usually relaxed: talk to a friend, talk about the trip.
How to choose
| Question | say | tell | speak | talk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the listener come right after it? | No | Yes | No | SometimesSometimes |
| Can the words come right after it? | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Is it about which languages someone knows? | No | No | Yes | No |
Why it trips people up
These four verbs come in two pairs. Say and tell report words: tell puts the listener right after it (tell me), and say doesn't (say it to me). Speak and talk are about using your voice: speak is a little more formal and is the verb for languages; talk suggests a conversation.
How each one works
Say
Asking about the words
What did she say?
Reporting what someone said
He said he was tired.
Greetings and thanks
Say hi to your mom for me.
Tell
Giving someone information
Tell me the truth.
Telling a story or a joke
She told us a funny story.
Instructions: tell + person + to
The teacher told us to sit down.
Speak
A language
Do you speak English?
With someone, more formally
Could I speak to the manager?
On the phone
Hi, this is Ana speaking.
Giving a speech
She spoke at the conference.
Talk
Having a conversation
We talked for hours.
A topic: talk about
Let's talk about the trip.
Something serious to discuss
We need to talk.
What comes next
say plus the words
She said yes.
say plus something plus to plus person
What did you say to her?
tell plus person plus message
Tell me your name.
tell plus person plus to plus verb
Tell him to call me.
speak plus language
She speaks three languages.
talk to plus person, talk about plus topic
I'll talk to my boss about it.
Set phrases
Say
- you can say that again
- I completely agree with you
- it goes without saying
- it's so obvious that nobody needs to point it out
Tell
- tell the truth
- to say what really happened, without lying
Speak
- speak up
- to talk louder so people can hear you
- so to speak
- added when you describe something in an unusual or not quite literal way
- generally speaking
- in most cases; as a general rule
Talk
- talk back
- to answer a parent, teacher, or boss rudely
- talk someone into something
- to get someone to agree to do something by persuading them
Almost the same
I need to say something.
The focus is on what you're about to say.
I need to tell you something.
The focus is on the listener: you comes right after.
I need to speak to you.
Sounds serious or formal, like a boss or an office.
I need to talk to you.
A conversation, even about something serious.
In a conversation
- A:
Hi, can I speak to Mr. Ruiz, please?
- B:
He's in a meeting. Can I tell him who's calling?
- A:
It's Laura. Please tell him we need to talk about the order.
- B:
Sure. Anything else?
- A:
Just say I'll call back at three.
Common mistakes
Wrong: He told that he was leaving early.
Right: He said that he was leaving early.
Tell needs a listener: He told us he was leaving. Without one, use say.
Wrong: She talks four languages.
Right: She speaks four languages.
To say which languages someone knows, use speak. Talk only names the language of a conversation: They talked in French.
Memory trick
Say and speak focus on what leaves your mouth: words or a language. Tell and talk focus on the other person: the listener, or the one you chat with. One catch: stories and jokes are told.
It depends
- Speak or talk on the phone
- Asking for someone is usually speak: Can I speak to Ana? Among friends, Can I talk to Ana? is common too. Once you're on the call, either works.
- Talk + person
- Talk takes the person right after it only in phrasal verbs like talk someone into, out of, or through something. Otherwise it's talk to someone.
FAQ
Is it 'talk to' or 'talk with'?
Both are correct and mean nearly the same; Oxford lists both. The same goes for speak to and speak with.
Can you 'talk' a language?
Not to say what languages someone knows: She speaks French, not She talks French. Talk can name the language a conversation is in: They were talking Portuguese the whole time.