Say vs. Tell — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Published on September 3, 2023
"Say" involves expressing something in words, while "tell" involves informing someone directly.
Difference Between Say and Tell
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
"Say" and "tell" are both verbs used in the English language to convey communication. However, they're used in slightly different contexts. While "say" often focuses on the act of verbal expression, "tell" zeroes in on the recipient of the message.
Tayyaba Rehman
Sep 03, 2023
In everyday conversations, when people refer to something they've heard, they might use "say." For instance, "What did she say?" "Tell," on the other hand, tends to demand an object or person to whom the information is directed, as in "Tell me a story."
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Sep 03, 2023
"Say" can be used in reported speech without directly pointing out the listener. An example might be, "She said she was tired." With "tell," the listener becomes important. For instance, "She told him that she was tired."
Tayyaba Rehman
Sep 03, 2023
Another distinction lies in command or instruction. When one uses "say," the emphasis is on repeating or expressing a particular phrase: "Say 'hello' to her." Conversely, "tell" instructs someone to inform or convey information: "Tell her about the meeting."
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Sep 03, 2023
"Say" often feels more neutral, simply referring to verbal expressions. "Tell" often implies a deeper level of communication, sharing, or informing.
Tayyaba Rehman
Sep 03, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Object Requirement
Often doesn't need a direct object.
Requires a direct object (the person being informed).
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Sep 03, 2023
Reported Speech
Used without specifying the listener: "He said he was hungry."
Needs the listener: "He told me he was hungry."
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Sep 03, 2023
Command/Instruction
Focus on repeating: "Say the magic word."
Instruct to inform: "Tell him the truth."
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Sep 03, 2023
Level of Depth
Neutral verbal expression.
Implies deeper communication or sharing of information.
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Sep 03, 2023
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Definitions
Tell
To count or enumerate.
She can tell all the states in alphabetical order.
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Aug 23, 2023
Say
Report or maintain;
He alleged that he was the victim of a crime
He said it was too late to intervene in the war
The registrar says that I owe the school money
Tayyaba Rehman
Oct 08, 2021
Tell
To give a detailed account of; narrate
Told what happened.
Told us a story.
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
Have or contain a certain wording or form;
The passage reads as follows
What does the law say?
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
State as one's opinion or judgement; declare;
I say let's forget this whole business
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
Communicate information to someone in spoken or written words
We must be told the facts
‘We have nothing in common,’ she told him
He's telling the truth
I told her you were coming
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
Decide or determine correctly or with certainty
I couldn't tell if he believed me
You can tell they're in love
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
To make a statement or express an opinion or judgment
The story must be true because the teacher said so.
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
(of an experience or period of time) have a noticeable, typically harmful, effect on someone
The strain of supporting the family was beginning to tell on him
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
(intransitive) To speak; to express an opinion; to make answer; to reply.
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
(colloquial) Used to gain someone's attention before making an inquiry or suggestion
Say, what did you think about the movie?
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
(especially in poker) an unconscious action that is thought to betray an attempted deception.
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
Express a supposition;
Let us say that he did not tell the truth
Let's say you had a lot of money--what would you do?
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
(in the Middle East) an artificial mound formed by the accumulated remains of ancient settlements.
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
To communicate by speech or writing; express with words
She told him that the store was closed. Tell me the truth.
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
To notify (someone) of something; inform
He told us of his dream to sail around the world.
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
Utter words so as to convey information, an opinion, a feeling or intention, or an instruction
He said to come early
Our parents wouldn't believe a word we said
‘Thank you,’ he said
He said the fund stood at £100,000
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
Assume something in order to work out what its consequences would be; make a hypothesis
Let's say we pay in five thousand pounds in the first year
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
Used to express surprise or to draw attention to a remark or question
Say, did you notice any blood?
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
An opportunity for stating one's opinion or feelings
She let him have his say
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
To name or number one by one; count
Telling one's blessings.
16 windows, all told.
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
To relate a story or give an account of an event
The sailor told of having been adrift for days.
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
To reveal something that is not supposed to be revealed, especially something that someone has done wrong
She promised not to tell on her friend.
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
To state as a determination of fact
It's hard to say who is right in this matter.
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
An unintentional or unconsciously exhibited behavior that reveals or betrays one's state of mind, as when playing poker.
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
A mound, especially in the Middle East, made up of the remains of a succession of previous settlements.
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
To count, reckon, or enumerate.
All told, there were over a dozen.
Can you tell time on a clock?
He had untold wealth.
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
To give nonverbal expression to; signify or embody
It was an act that said "devotion.".
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
To convey by speech; to say.
Finally, someone told him the truth.
He seems to like to tell lies.
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
(transitive) To order; to direct, to say to someone.
Tell him to go away.
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
The right or power to influence or make a decision
Citizens have a say in the councils of government. All I want is some say in the matter.
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
To discern, notice, identify or distinguish.
Can you tell whether those flowers are real or silk, from this distance?
No, there's no way to tell.
I can tell you're upset.
An expert can tell an original from a forgery.
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
(intransitive) To have an effect, especially a noticeable one; to be apparent, to be demonstrated.
Sir Gerald was moving slower; his wounds were beginning to tell.
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
To inform someone in authority about a wrongdoing.
I saw you steal those sweets! I'm telling!
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
To reveal information in prose through outright expository statement -- contrasted with show
Maria rewrote the section of her novel that talked about Meg and Sage's friendship to have less telling and more showing.
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
(transitive) To tell, either verbally or in writing.
He said he would be here tomorrow.
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
A reflexive, often habitual behavior, especially one occurring in a context that often features attempts at deception by persons under psychological stress (such as a poker game or police interrogation), that reveals information that the person exhibiting the behavior is attempting to withhold.
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
(transitive) To indicate in a written form.
The sign says it’s 50 kilometres to Paris.
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
To have a common expression; used in singular passive voice or plural active voice to indicate a rumor or well-known fact.
They say "when in Rome, do as the Romans do", which means "behave as those around you do."
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
(internet) A private message to an individual in a chat room; a whisper.
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
Suppose, assume; used to mark an example, supposition or hypothesis.
A holiday somewhere warm – Florida, say – would be nice.
Say he refuses. What do we do then?
Say your family is starving and you don't have any money, is it okay to steal some food?
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
(archaeology) A hill or mound, originally and especially in the Middle East, over or consisting of the ruins of ancient settlements.
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
To bet as a wager on an outcome; by extension, used to express belief in an outcome by the speaker.
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
To mention one by one, or piece by piece; to recount; to enumerate; to reckon; to number; to count; as, to tell money.
He telleth the number of the stars.
Tell the joints of the body.
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
To utter or recite in detail; to give an account of; to narrate.
Of which I shall tell all the array.
And not a man appears to tell their fate.
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
To make known; to publish; to disclose; to divulge.
Why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
To give instruction to; to make report to; to acquaint; to teach; to inform.
A secret pilgrimage,That you to-day promised to tell me of?
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
To discern so as to report; to ascertain by observing; to find out; to discover; as, I can not tell where one color ends and the other begins.
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
To make account of; to regard; to reckon; to value; to estimate.
I ne told no dainity of her love.
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
For example; let us assume.
Pick a color you think they'd like, say, peach.
He was driving pretty fast, say, fifty miles per hour.
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
To give an account; to make report.
That I may publish with the voice of thankgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
Trial by sample; assay; sample; specimen; smack.
If those principal works of God . . . be but certain tastes and says, as it were, of that final benefit.
Thy tongue some say of breeding breathes.
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
To take effect; to produce a marked effect; as, every shot tells; every expression tells.
Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David.
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
A delicate kind of serge, or woolen cloth.
His garment neither was of silk nor say.
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
A Swiss patriot who lived in the early 14th century and who was renowned for his skill as an archer; according to legend an Austrian governor compelled him to shoot an apple from his son's head with his crossbow (which he did successfully without mishap)
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
A speech; something said; an expression of opinion; a current story; a maxim or proverb.
He no sooner said out his say, but up rises a cunning snap.
That strange palmer's boding say,That fell so ominous and drearFull on the object of his fear.
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
Express in words;
He said that he wanted to marry her
Tell me what is bothering you
State your opinion
State your name
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
To utter or express in words; to tell; to speak; to declare; as, he said many wise things.
Arise, and say how thou camest here.
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
Narrate or give a detailed account of;
Tell what happened
The father told a story to his child
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
To repeat; to rehearse; to recite; to pronounce; as, to say a lesson.
Of my instruction hast thou nothing batedIn what thou hadst to say?
After which shall be said or sung the following hymn.
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
Give instructions to or direct somebody to do something with authority;
I said to him to go home
She ordered him to do the shopping
The mother told the child to get dressed
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
To announce as a decision or opinion; to state positively; to assert; hence, to form an opinion upon; to be sure about; to be determined in mind as to.
But what it is, hard is to say.
Tayyaba Rehman
Oct 08, 2021
Say
To mention or suggest as an estimate, hypothesis, or approximation; hence, to suppose; - in the imperative, followed sometimes by the subjunctive; as, he had, say fifty thousand dollars; the fox had run, say ten miles.
Say, for nonpayment that the debt should double,Is twenty hundred kisses such a trouble?
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Oct 08, 2021
Tell
Inform positively and with certainty and confidence;
I tell you that man is a crook!
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
To speak; to express an opinion; to make answer; to reply.
You have said; but whether wisely or no, let the forest judge.
To this argument we shall soon have said; for what concerns it us to hear a husband divulge his household privacies?
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
Express in words;
He said that he wanted to marry her
Tell me what is bothering you
State your opinion
State your name
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
Give instructions to or direct somebody to do something with authority;
I said to him to go home
She ordered him to do the shopping
The mother told the child to get dressed
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
Speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way;
She pronounces French words in a funny way
I cannot say `zip wire'
Can the child sound out this complicated word?
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Oct 08, 2021
Say
Communicate or express nonverbally;
What does this painting say?
Did his face say anything about how he felt?
Tayyaba Rehman
Oct 08, 2021
Say
To assume for the sake of argument or explanation.
Let's say you win the lottery; what would you do?
Tayyaba Rehman
Aug 23, 2023
FAQs
Can "tell" be used without specifying whom you're telling?
Generally, no. "Tell" typically needs a direct object or listener.
Tayyaba Rehman
Sep 03, 2023
Why do we use "said" in reported speech?
"Said" is neutral and doesn't require specifying the listener, making it common in reported speech.
Tayyaba Rehman
Sep 03, 2023
Is it correct to ask, "What did he say to you?"
Yes, but it's more common to ask, "What did he tell you?"
Tayyaba Rehman
Sep 03, 2023
Can "tell" be used in the context of recognition?
Yes, like in "I can tell he's lying by his eyes."
Tayyaba Rehman
Sep 03, 2023
Can "say" and "tell" be used interchangeably?
Not always. "Tell" usually requires an object (the listener), while "say" might not.
Tayyaba Rehman
Sep 03, 2023
When should I use "say" versus "tell"?
Use "say" for expressing something in words and "tell" when informing someone directly.
Tayyaba Rehman
Sep 03, 2023
Can "say" refer to non-verbal indications?
Yes, as in "The sign says 'Exit.'"
Tayyaba Rehman
Sep 03, 2023
Why do we say, "Say the magic word," not "Tell the magic word"?
"Say" focuses on repeating a specific phrase, while "tell" focuses on informing.
Tayyaba Rehman
Sep 03, 2023
How does "tell" imply deeper communication?
"Tell" involves the sharing or conveying of information directly to someone, hence it feels more intimate.
Tayyaba Rehman
Sep 03, 2023
Do "say" and "tell" have other meanings outside of communication?
Yes, for instance, "tell" can mean to count, and "say" can be used in the context of assuming for explanation.
Tayyaba Rehman
Sep 03, 2023
Author Spotlight
Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
