Say or Tell? Don’t Stress – Here’s the Difference!2025.05.16

🗨️ Say or Tell? Don’t Stress – Here’s the Difference!

Hey there, English learners! 👋

Let’s talk about two little words that confuse a lot of people: “say” and “tell.”

They both mean “to speak,” right? Yep. But here’s the catch — we use them differently.

No worries though. I’ll break it down super simply. 😎

🧠 The Basic Idea

Say = Focus on the words someone spoke

Tell = Focus on who they spoke to

That’s it! Let’s look at how that works in real sentences.

🗣️ SAY – No person needed

You use say when you’re not saying who someone talked to.

🔹 She said she was tired. 🔹 I said I’d call later. 🔹 They said the movie was great.

👉 See? No person after “say.” Just the words they spoke.

👥 TELL – You need a person

Tell is different. You must include the person you’re speaking to.

🔹 He told me a secret. 🔹 I told her to relax. 🔹 We told them about the plan.

❌ He told was tired. (Wrong!) ✅ He said he was tired.

🔁 Common Mistakes (Don’t worry – everyone makes them!)

❌ She said me the truth. ✅ She told me the truth.

❌ I told that I was sorry. ✅ I said that I was sorry.

💡 Quick Tip to Remember:

If there’s a person after it → use TELL If not → use SAY

Easy, right?

“Say” and “tell” are super common — you’ll use them all the time in conversations, texts, and stories. Once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature. 🙌

So keep practicing, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. That’s how you learn! 🌟

Want to learn more? Join our sample class! Meet our wonderful English teachers. 😊