Say and tell both relate to speaking, but they are used differently. The main difference is simple: tell usually needs a person after it (the listener), while say does not.
Use “say” → focus on the words
Say is used when we focus on what was said, not who received the message.
- He said he was tired.
- She said “hello”.
- I said that I would come later.
If you mention the person, you need to:
- He said to me that he was busy.
Use “tell” → focus on the listener
Tell is used when we include the person who receives the information.
- He told me he was tired.
- She told us the truth.
- I told him to wait.
Important: when you report words, “tell” must have a person after it.
- ❌ He told that he was tired.
- ✅ He told me that he was tired.
Common structures
- say + (that) + sentence → He said (that) he was ready.
- say to + person → He said to me that he was ready.
- tell + person + (that) + sentence → He told me that he was ready.
- tell + person + to + verb → She told me to wait.
Fixed expressions (no person needed)
- tell the truth
- tell a lie
- tell a story
- tell someone a secret
