Say and tell are two common words in English with similar meanings. Both mean to communicate verbally with someone. But we use them in different ways.

✅ We say something.

Examples:

- Lauren says that you’re engaged.

- Bill said that he was hungry.

- Robert said “He misses you.”

✅ We tell someone something.

Examples:

- Lauren tells me that you’re engaged.

- Bill told Jane that he was hungry.

- Robert told Alyssa that he misses you.

➡ If you say who you are talking to, use tell:

- Bree told me that you were ill. 

- What did you tell Louis? 

➡ Otherwise use say:

- Bree said that you were ill. 

- What did you say? 

➡ But you can say something to somebody:

- Lee said goodbye to me and left. 

- What did you say to Louis? 

➡ We usually use say with direct speech. We only use tell with direct speech that is an instruction or information:

- Britney said, “I’ll be right back.” 

- “That’s perfect,” he said. 

➡ We use both say and tell with reported speech:

- He said that the weather would be nice.

- She told me that she would arrive by noon.

- He told her, “Be quiet around the baby.” 

- She told me, “I won’t be late.” 

➡ We use both say and tell with reported speech:

- He said that the weather would be nice.

- She told me that she would arrive by noon.

But, we cannot use say or tell with reported questions. For these, we must use ask:

➡ Direct:

- He said, “What do you want to eat?”

-  She asked, “Have you been there?”

- Mia said to Susan, “Let’s leave?”

- “Please don’t tell her ” Sid said to me.

➡ Reported:

-  He asked what I wanted to eat.

-  She asked if I had been there.

-  Mia asked Susan if she wanted to leave.

- Sid asked me not to tell her.

Let’s practice!

Complete the following sentences with say or tell. Remember to conjugate the verbs in the appropriate tenses.

1. Brock _______________ goodbye to me and left.
 

2. Don’t just stand there. _______________ something!

3. The doctor _______________ that I will be fine in a few days.

4. I wonder where Bobby is. He _______________ he would be at the restaurant by 7:00.

5. Lisa _____ “She loves you.”

So, do you understand the difference between these verbs now?

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