Synonyms that confuse newbies: say, tell, speak, talk

English, like Russian, is rich in polysemantic words. And quite often it happens that in Russian we use one multi-valued word, and in English there is a separate word for each value. Over time, students, of course, remember the difference. If you have just started learning a language, then especially for you we have prepared a series of articles on synonyms, in the use of which beginners make the most mistakes. Let's see together what makes these words different from each other and how to use them correctly in speech.

Say, tell, speak, talk

Wow, how many troubles because of the word "speak" (or "say"). But not everything is so simple: each of these words has its own rules of use and shades of meaning.

The main verb for the word “say” is to say . It literally means “use your voice to express something in words” . Using this verb, we either share any information, or transmit direct speech by letter. For example:

He said that he didn’t have been able to come. (Here we are interested in the content: what exactly did he say? After the “say” verb, more often you will see the conjunction “that”, “what”).

"Good morning", Anna said. “How can I help you?” (And here is an example of direct speech).

The “say” verb is also used to express your opinion:

I’m not a great guitarist.

If we need to retell the content of what has been written or convey in words what is drawn or transmitted in figures, then we also use the “say”.

Does the article say how the fire happened?
The letter says that I've been accepted to the college. (By the way, here English is somewhat similar to Russian - we can also say “The letter says”).
The clock says five minutes after ten.
The calendar says that Christmas falls on a Monday.



The verb to tell is somewhat similar in meaning to the say verb, but unlike the latter, the tell is never used in quotations. That is, to say "Stop it!", He told will not work. After the verb “tell”, a pronoun is almost always used, which means the person to whom the information is intended. For example, he told HER . Please note that there are no prepositions here, an object pronoun follows the verb.

Little life hacking: with the “say” verb, you can also do this, however, just not attach an object pronoun to it. The verb “say” does not require an indirect complement, that is, we can not do without the preposition “to”: he said.

The verb “tell” is also used to convey instructions and orders in indirect speech.

Examples:

“Stop it!”, Anna said. -> Anna told him to stop.
"Come next week, he'll be there for sure," Victor said. -> Victor told me to come next week.

However, the examples above are samples grammatically correct. In oral speech, as we know, the rules are often violated. So do not be alarmed if you suddenly see a sentence like "I asked him if he wanted to . " Just remember that in a formal setting you shouldn't say that.

The verbs speak and talk are also a bit similar in meaning - they both signify a speech process. But there are differences between them. So, “speak” is used in a more formal context, and “talk” is used in an informal context. For example, the phrase “I need to speak to you” immediately makes it clear that the person who said it in your address does not know you well, and your conversation will take place in a formal manner. At the same time, the phrase “I need to talk to you” will be said rather by a friend or a very good friend.



If you have been at conferences, then you have seen that all speakers are called "speaker" . Why not a "talker" ? Because the verb “speak” is used in the context of formal presentations and lectures.

For example:

Dr. Foster will speak
Next week she will speak about the history of the art.

But the verb “talk” is used for less formal negotiations. And, as a rule, not for a large audience. You can “talk to your friends” or “talk to your partner” , however, using “talk” when contacting an entire audience of students or listeners is no longer possible.

For example:

They are up for all these years . (the conversation takes place between two friends or lovers).
Linda will talk about her business plan . (conversation can occur between friends).
We want to talk through the options. (By the way, here is a useful phrasal verb “to discuss.” And the example conversation will take place in an informal atmosphere).

It’s also interesting that at the same time on the TED website, where you can watch dozens of presentations by various experts and specialists in all spheres of life, all the presentations are called “talks”, and not “speeches”. Now, knowing the difference between these verbs, you can feel the play on words that the creators of TED have incorporated into their philosophy. “Speech” is either a formal speech that a president or an official representative of a company can read out. Or it is a physiological process, for example, “speech development” - “speech development”. In TED, speakers want to create a friendly atmosphere and share their knowledge and observations. Therefore, their speech is called “talk” - it is informal, it creates the impression that the speaker communicates with his friends or only with you.

The verb "speak" is also used for languages. That's just unlike the Russian, there is no need for a preposition here. If you have just started learning English, we advise you never to translate prepositions at all and not try to learn them using the example of Russian. For example, “speaking in English” is not “speaking on English”. It's just "speak English" . As well as it can be "speak Russian", "speak Chinese", "speak Dutch" and any other language. That is, in this case, we describe the way of communication. But if we need to emphasize the peculiarity of speech, then we can use the preposition “in”: “He spoke in a high trembling voice” .

The verb "speak" is also used for telephone conversations. Here is an example of a dialogue:
-Is Lauren still in the office? I need to talk to her.
-Who's speaking?
-My name is Anna, I work with her.

Formally, you can ask a person to the phone like this:
Hello, can I speak with Sofia, please?

You may have noticed that in the examples above we use different prepositions after the verbs “talk” and “speak” . In fact, there is no strict rule. You can use the prepositions to, with, about. But remember that “speak with” is most often used in a formal context: “May I speak with you for a moment?” .