People like to talk! And there are four very common words that all mean talking – speak, talk, tell, and say. How are these words different? How do you know which word to use? In this vocabulary lesson, we’ll “talk” about these four words and how they are different. We’ll also talk about some common idioms and expressions that use these four words.
1. Speak
When you “speak,” you are using words to express your thoughts. Chances are good that this is one of the first English verbs you learned! We use it to say “I speak English.” You are using English words to communicate.
“Speak” is pronounced “speek” – /spiːk/. It is irregular in the past simple tense (spoke) and the past participle is also irregular (spoken). A person who speaks is a “speaker.”
- Moses replied, “I have never been a good speaker. I wasn’t one before you spoke to me, and I’m not one now. I am slow at speaking, and I can never think of what to say.” (Exodus 4:10)
- As soon as God speaks, the earth obeys. (Psalms 147:15)
- It makes me very happy when the Lord’s followers come by and speak openly of how you obey the truth. (3 John 1:3)
From these verses, you can see that “speak” is mostly about the physical action of using your voice to create words.
Speak - Phrasal Verbs
Here are two common phrasal verbs that use the verb “speak:”
1. speak out – to share your opinion, to bring important matters to the attention of others
When someone asks you to “speak out,” they are asking you to share your opinion. You can also “speak out” about important issues that others need to know.
- Jerusalem, on your walls I have stationed guards, whose duty it is to speak out day and night… (Isaiah 62:6a)
- You should learn to speak out in business meetings.
2. speak up – to talk more loudly or clearly
If someone tells you to “speak up,” they want you to repeat what you said. Your voice may have been too quiet, or you need to pronounce words more clearly. It is okay to say in a normal tone of voice with the word “please,” but if you say it loudly to someone (“Speak up!”) it can be condescending.
“Speak up” can also mean the same as “speak out” – expressing your opinion or telling something important.
- Don’t be a gossip, but never hesitate to speak up in court, especially if your testimony can save someone’s life. (Leviticus 19:16)
- Please speak up, I didn’t hear what you said.
2. Talk
When you “talk,” you are doing more than just creating words with your voice. To “talk” means that you are using words to give information or communicate ideas and feelings to someone else. “Talk” is about communication. It’s common for “talk” to be followed by “to” or “with,” then with a noun or pronoun referring to a person.
When you pronounce “talk,” the “l” is silent – /tɔːk/. It’s a regular verb in the simple past tense (talked) and the past participle is also regular (talked).
- Then Jesus asked, “Do you have faith in the Son of Man?” He replied, “Sir, if you will tell me who he is, I will put my faith in him.” “You have already seen him,” Jesus answered, “and right now he is talking with you.” (John 9:35b-37)
- They said to each other, “When he talked with us along the road and explained the Scriptures to us, didn’t it warm our hearts?” (Luke 24:32)
- Then you will be able to speak again, and the two of you will talk… (Ezekiel 24:27a)
“Speak” can also be followed by “to,” “with,” or “about” and work the same way as “talk.” However, this is a more formal use and not used much in casual conversation.
“Talk” can also be followed by the preposition “about,” then the subject of your conversation.
- Teach them to your children. Talk about them all the time – whether you’re at home or walking along the road or going to bed at night, or getting up in the morning. (Deuteronomy 11:19)
- I tell you for certain we know what we are talking about because we have seen it ourselves… (John 3:11a)
Talk - Expressions and Phrasal Verbs
These two phrasal verbs with “talk” are common.
1. talk back – to argue or disagree
- My son got detention for talking back to his teachers again.
- Don’t talk back to your boss, you might get fired.
2. talk it over – to discuss a topic and try to find a solution
- Abimelech’s uncles talked it over with the leaders of Shechem who agreed, “Yes, it would be better for one of our relatives to be king.” (Judges 9:3)
- I, the Lord, invite you to come and talk it over. Your sins are scarlet red, but they will be whiter than snow or wool. (Isaiah 1:18)
3. Tell
“Tell” is very similar to “talk,” because it is about sharing information and feelings with your words. However, “tell” doesn’t require your listener to answer. You are just giving information or sharing ideas.
There will always be a listener, a noun or a pronoun, mentioned after “tell.” Pronouncing “tell” is easy – /tel/. Like a lot of common verbs, it is irregular in the simple past (told) and the past participle is also irregular (told).
Here are some examples. Notice the listener after the verb “tell.”
- Jesus told his disciples to tell the people to sit down on the green grass. (Mark 6:39)
- Eli said, “What did God say to you? Tell me everything…” (1 Samuel 3:17a)
- Naomi asked her what had happened, and Ruth told her everything. (Ruth 3:16)
Tell - A Phrasal Verb and an Expression
Here are two common uses of the verb “tell” that you might hear often. The first is a phrasal verb, and the second is an expression.
1. tell (something) apart – a phrasal verb that means to notice the difference between two things that appear similar
- The mother was the only one who could tell her twins apart.
- These two cars look the same. How can you tell them apart?
2. tell time – an expression about reading time on a clock
- Has your daughter learned how to tell time yet?
- I can tell time in English now.
4. Say
“Say” is all about the information you are giving. You “say something.” There may or may not be anyone listening, and nobody needs to answer you. The “something” can come before or after “say.” Look at these examples:
- Now listen carefully and do what I say… (Genesis 27:43a)
In this verse, Rebekah is talking to her son Jacob. She uses the verb “say” because this sentence is all about the information – “what” she is telling him.
You could use the word “tell” in this sentence, but remember that with “tell” you would need to add the person you are talking to. Let’s try the verb “tell” in this sentence:
- Now listen carefully and do what I tell you…
More about "Say"
When you use “say,” be sure to mention the information you are talking about. If you choose, you can also mention your listener. In this case, you would also need to use “to,” like you did with “talk” – “talk to” or “say to.” With the verb “say,” mentioning your listener is optional, but mentioning the information is required.
Look at this sentence again. The first “said” shows us the thing that Eli said.
- Eli said, “What did God say to you?”
The second time we see the verb “say,” Eli is asking about the thing that God said.
- Eli said, “What did God say?…”
We could stop here and the sentence would be complete. But in our verse, Eli added “to you” for emphasis.
- Eli said, “What did God say to you?”
Say - Two Common Expressions
There are many expressions and idioms with the verb “say.” Here are two of the most common:
1. Say when – If you are giving someone something, usually food, you ask them to say “when” when you have given them the quantity they want.
- Denise (pouring coffee for Anna): Say when!
Anna (watching as Denise fills her cup): When!
2. You can say that again – used for telling someone you agree very strongly with what they have said.
- Denise: I think this coffee is the best I’ve ever tasted.
Anna: You can say that again!
Let's Review Speak, Talk, Tell, and Say
Here’s a quick review of the differences between speak, talk, tell, and say.
1. Speak
The physical action of creating words with your voice. This is also used with languages. You can “speak to” or “speak with” someone, but this is more formal.
2. Talk
“Talk” is about conversation. You “talk to” or “talk with” somebody.
You can also “talk about” a thing.
3. Tell
“Tell” is about communicating ideas and information. It is always followed by a noun or a pronoun referring to the person you are telling, but that person doesn’t have to answer.
4. Say
“Say” is about the information you are communicating. It has to mention the content of what you are saying, not the person you are telling.
Here’s a sample sentence. Let’s use all four verbs and see how the sentence changes.
- I speak English.
I can speak to you soon. (formal)
I can speak with you soon. (formal)
I can speak about the schedule soon. (formal) - I can talk to you soon.
I can talk with you soon.
I can talk about the schedule soon. - I can tell you a story in English.
- I can say that sentence in English.
Listening Practice is Important
I hope this has helped you learn the basic differences between these four verbs about talking. However, the best way to learn is to listen to how they are used in sentences. If you hear the word in its context, you will have a better idea of what the speaker wants to say. You will begin to understand why they chose the word they used.
Click the button to download a PDF worksheet that will give you more practice with speak, talk, tell, and say. Be sure to leave a comment below! Is it hard or easy for you to know the difference between these words? Let me know! See you next time.
