English UsageComparison guide
Say vs. Tell
“Say” commonly focuses on words or speech and normally does not take a person as an indirect object without “to.” “Tell” commonly focuses on information or instructions and normally takes the person who receives the message.
Use “say” for the words spoken (“She said hello”) and “tell” when naming the recipient or reporting information/instructions (“She told me the news”).
Key details
Say Patternsay something; say something to someone
Tell Patterntell someone something; tell someone to do something
Termssay, tell
Choose the right form
| Need | Typical choice | Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| quote/words without recipient object | say | say something |
| message to a named recipient | tell | tell someone something |
Further guidance
Collocation Boundary
English also has fixed combinations such as tell the truth, tell a joke, and tell a story.
Object Boundary
A person normally follows “tell” directly, but with “say” the person is normally introduced by “to.”
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Say or tell? — English Grammar Today (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Object and reported-speech distinctions between say and tell