Confusing Words
Say vs Tell
Use say when you focus on the words or message. Use tell when you give information to a person.
Quick Answer
Use say when you focus on the words or message. Use tell when you focus on giving information to a listener, as in tell me or tell us.
Core Difference
Say focuses on the message. Tell focuses on the message plus the listener.
Simple Explanation
Say and tell both report communication, but their grammar is different. We say something. We tell someone something. After say, use to before the listener: She said hello to me. After tell, the listener often comes directly after the verb: She told me the news. Tell is also used in common phrases like tell the truth, tell a story, and tell a joke.
Word Details
say
verb
to speak words or express something in words
tell
verb
to give information to a person
Examples
say
What did she say?
The focus is the words.
say
He said hello to everyone.
Use to before the listener after say.
say
The sign says the shop closes at six.
Say can report written words.
tell
Please tell me the truth.
Me is the listener.
tell
I told my manager about the problem.
The information goes to a person.
tell
Can you tell us your email address?
Us is the listener.
Practice Quiz
Choose one answer. Mistakes are saved for review.
1. She ___ me the answer.
2. What did he ___?
3. He ___ that he was tired.
4. The email ___ the meeting starts at nine.
5. Please ___ us about your experience.
Related Word Pairs
Speak vs Talk
Speak is often more formal or one-way; talk is more informal and conversational.
Study this pairRemember vs Remind
Remember means to keep something in your mind; remind means to help someone else remember.
Study this pairBorrow vs Lend
Borrow means to receive and use something for a short time. Lend means to give something to someone for a short time.
Study this pair