Said در مقابل Told: تفاوت چیست؟
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'tell' when you mention the listener immediately after the verb; use 'say' when the focus is on the words themselves.
- Use 'tell' with a personal object: 'He told me the secret.'
- Use 'say' without a personal object: 'She said she was tired.'
- Use 'say to' if you must mention the listener with 'say': 'He said to me that he was leaving.'
مرور کلی
say و tell یکی از چالشهای همیشگی زبانآموزان ایرانی در سطح متوسط (B1) است. در زبان فارسی، ما برای هر دو مفهوم از فعل «گفتن» استفاده میکنیم. مثلاً میگوییم «او به من گفت» یا «او گفت که میآید».tell به یک «گیرنده» یا «مخاطب» مستقیم نیاز دارد. در واقع tell یک فعل «دومفعولی» (ditransitive) است؛ یعنی باید بگویید «چه چیزی» را به «چه کسی» گفتهاید. در مقابل، فعل say بر روی «محتوای پیام» تمرکز دارد و نیازی به ذکر مخاطب ندارد.say بیاورید، باید از حرف اضافه to استفاده کنید. این دقیقاً همان جایی است که زبانآموزان فارسیزبان دچار لغزش میشوند، چون در فارسی ما «به» را همیشه میآوریم (مثلاً: به او گفتم)، اما در انگلیسی ساختار tell بدون حرف اضافه و با مفعول مستقیم ساخته میشود. در ادامه به بررسی دقیق این تفاوتها میپردازیم.transitivity در دستور زبان انگلیسی توجه کنیم. فعل say عمدتاً بر «بیان کردن» تمرکز دارد. وقتی میگوییم He said that he was tired، تمرکز ما بر روی خودِ جمله یا خبری است که منتقل شده.that he was tired مفعول مستقیم ماست. اگر بخواهیم مخاطب را اضافه کنیم، باید بگوییم He said to me that he was tired. در اینجا me مفعول فعل said نیست، بلکه متمم حرف اضافه to است.tell بر «انتقال اطلاعات» به یک شخص خاص تمرکز دارد. این فعل به صورت ذاتی به یک مفعول غیرمستقیم (شخص) و یک مفعول مستقیم (پیام) نیاز دارد. به همین دلیل وقتی میگوییم She told me the story، کلمه me مفعول مستقیم فعل told است.She told that... مگر در موارد خاص که مفعول از قبل در متن مشخص باشد).tell ادغام شده است.tell در دل خود مفهوم «به کسی گفتن» را دارد. به همین دلیل است که آوردن to بعد از tell (مثل told to me) یکی از بزرگترین خطاهای رایج است. این تفاوت ساختاری، بازتابدهنده تفاوت نگاه دو زبان به مقوله انتقال پیام است: انگلیسی بر «مخاطبمحوری» در tell و «محتوامحوری» در say تأکید دارد.He said that he was busy. |She said to me, 'Hello'. |He told me that he was busy. |She told him to go home. |tell بلافاصله بعد از فعل، شخص (مخاطب) میآید. در say یا مخاطبی وجود ندارد، یا با to میآید.say زمانی استفاده کنید که محتوای پیام مهمتر از مخاطب است. مثلاً در گزارش اخبار، متون رسمی، یا وقتی نقلقول مستقیم میکنید. مثال: The sign said 'Keep Off the Grass'.say انتخاب بهتری است.tell زمانی استفاده کنید که میخواهید بر روی «ارتباط بین دو نفر» یا «دستور دادن» تأکید کنید. وقتی به کسی اطلاعاتی میدهید، نصیحت میکنید، یا داستانی را تعریف میکنید، tell گزینه اصلی است. مثلاً: My father told me a story.tell استفاده کنید: Can you tell me the time? یا Don't tell anyone my secret!.- 1استفاده از
toبعد ازtold: زبانآموزان فارسیزبان به دلیل ساختار «به من گفت»، تمایل دارند بگویندHe told to me. این غلط است چونtellخودش مفعول میپذیرد.
- 1حذف مخاطب با
tell: اشتباه رایج دیگر گفتنHe told that I am lateاست. چون در فارسی «گفت که...» کافی است، فکر میکنیم در انگلیسی هم میشود مخاطب را حذف کرد، اماtellحتماً باید مخاطب داشته باشد.
- 1استفاده از
sayبرای دستورات: مثلاً گفتنHe said me to go. چون در فارسی میگوییم «به من گفت بروم»، زبانآموز فکر میکندsayدرست است، در حالی که برای دستور دادن یا توصیه کردن، ساختارtell + someone + to + verbاستاندارد است.
- 1آیا میتوانم بگویم
He said me؟ خیر، این غلط است. یا باید بگوییدHe said to meیا ازHe told meاستفاده کنید.
- 1کدام فعل برای «دروغ گفتن» یا «حقیقت گفتن» استفاده میشود؟ همیشه از
tellاستفاده میشود:tell a lieیاtell the truth.
- 1آیا همیشه باید بعد از
thatازtellاستفاده کنم؟ خیر،thatمیتواند حذف شود، مثلاًHe told me he was happyکاملاً صحیح و رایج است.
Conjugation of Say and Tell
| Tense | Say (Irregular) | Tell (Irregular) |
|---|---|---|
|
Base Form
|
say
|
tell
|
|
Present Simple (he/she/it)
|
says /sez/
|
tells
|
|
Past Simple
|
said /sed/
|
told
|
|
Past Participle
|
said /sed/
|
told
|
|
Present Participle
|
saying
|
telling
|
Meanings
Both verbs report information, but 'tell' requires an indirect object (the listener), while 'say' focuses on the message content.
Reporting Information
To give information or news to someone.
“He said that the meeting was canceled.”
“She told her boss that she was quitting.”
Giving Instructions
Using 'tell' to order or instruct someone to do something.
“The doctor told me to stay in bed.”
“I told him not to touch the stove.”
Collocations (Fixed Phrases)
Specific expressions where only one of the verbs is correct regardless of the general rule.
“Can you tell the time?”
“He always tells the truth.”
Distinguishing/Identifying
Using 'tell' to mean 'to know' or 'to distinguish' between things.
“I can't tell the difference between these two colors.”
“Can you tell if she's joking?”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative (Say)
|
Subject + said + (that) + clause
|
She said she was busy.
|
|
Affirmative (Tell)
|
Subject + told + object + (that) + clause
|
She told me she was busy.
|
|
Negative (Say)
|
Subject + didn't say + (that) + clause
|
He didn't say where he was.
|
|
Negative (Tell)
|
Subject + didn't tell + object + (that) + clause
|
He didn't tell us where he was.
|
|
Question (Say)
|
Did + subject + say + (that) + clause?
|
Did they say they were coming?
|
|
Question (Tell)
|
Did + subject + tell + object + (that) + clause?
|
Did they tell you they were coming?
|
|
Imperative (Tell)
|
Tell + object + to + verb
|
Tell him to call me.
|
|
Fixed Phrase
|
Tell + the truth / a lie / a story
|
Always tell the truth.
|
طیف رسمیت
He informed the committee that he would be resigning. (Workplace resignation)
He told the committee that he was quitting. (Workplace resignation)
He said he was gonna quit. (Workplace resignation)
He was like, 'I'm out.' (Workplace resignation)
The Communication Flow
SAY
- Focus on Message He said 'Hi'
- No direct object She said that...
TELL
- Focus on Listener He told me
- Requires object Tell them the news
Say vs. Tell Structure
Which verb should I use?
Are you mentioning the listener immediately?
Is it a story, joke, or the truth?
Common Collocations
Always TELL
- • the truth
- • a lie
- • a story
- • a joke
- • the time
Always SAY
- • hello/goodbye
- • a prayer
- • yes/no
- • something/nothing
- • a few words
مثالها بر اساس سطح
He said hello.
Él dijo hola.
Tell me your name.
Dime tu nombre.
She said, 'I am hungry.'
Ella dijo: 'Tengo hambre'.
They told us a joke.
Ellos nos contaron un chiste.
He told me that he was tired.
Él me dijo que estaba cansado.
What did you say to her?
¿Qué le dijiste a ella?
The teacher told the students to sit down.
El profesor les dijo a los estudiantes que se sentaran.
I said I would help you.
Dije que te ayudaría.
She told me about her trip to Italy.
Ella me contó sobre su viaje a Italia.
He said he had never been there before.
Dijo que nunca había estado allí antes.
Can you tell the difference between these two?
¿Puedes notar la diferencia entre estos dos?
I told him not to worry about the bill.
Le dije que no se preocupara por la cuenta.
It is said that the CEO will resign tomorrow.
Se dice que el CEO renunciará mañana.
I couldn't tell if she was being serious or not.
No podía saber si hablaba en serio o no.
He said to me, quite clearly, that he was finished.
Me dijo, muy claramente, que había terminado.
To tell you the truth, I don't really like pizza.
A decir verdad, no me gusta mucho la pizza.
The evidence tells a very different story.
La evidencia cuenta una historia muy diferente.
Needless to say, we were all very disappointed.
No hace falta decir que todos estábamos muy decepcionados.
He was told off by his manager for being late.
Su gerente lo regañó por llegar tarde.
I can't tell you how much I appreciate this.
No puedo expresarte cuánto agradezco esto.
There were fifty people there, all told.
Había cincuenta personas allí, en total.
The long hours were starting to tell on his health.
Las largas horas estaban empezando a afectar su salud.
Whatever he says goes in this office.
Lo que él diga se hace en esta oficina.
He has a certain 'je ne sais quoi', as the French say.
Tiene un cierto 'no sé qué', como dicen los franceses.
بهراحتی اشتباه گرفته میشود
Learners often use 'say' when they mean 'talk' or 'speak'.
Learners forget the 'to' when using 'say' with a listener.
Mixing up the tense backshift while trying to choose between say and tell.
اشتباهات رایج
He told that he is happy.
He said that he is happy.
She said me hello.
She said hello to me.
I sayed him the truth.
I told him the truth.
Tell to me your name.
Tell me your name.
He told to go home.
He told me to go home.
I said him to wait.
I told him to wait.
She said a story.
She told a story.
He said me that he was busy.
He told me that he was busy.
Can you say me the time?
Can you tell me the time?
I said to him 'No'.
I said 'No' to him.
All said, it was a good day.
All told, it was a good day.
The stress was starting to say on her.
The stress was starting to tell on her.
الگوهای جملهسازی
He told me that ___.
She said, '___.'
I can't tell if ___.
They told us to ___.
Real World Usage
He said he's on his way.
I told my previous employer that I was ready for a new challenge.
Who told you that?!
The pilot said there would be some turbulence.
I told the driver to leave the food at the gate.
The doctor told me to take this medicine twice a day.
The 'Me' Test
No 'To' with Tell
Reporting Orders
Secrets and Jokes
Smart Tips
Choose 'tell'.
Use 'say'.
Drop the 'that' after say or tell.
Use 'tell' to mean 'distinguish'.
تلفظ
The 'said' vowel
The word 'said' is pronounced with a short 'e' sound, like 'bed'. It is NOT pronounced like 'paid'.
The 'says' vowel
Similarly, 'says' is pronounced /sez/, like 'says' rhymes with 'fez'.
The 'told' diphthong
The 'o' in 'told' is a long 'o' sound, like 'gold' or 'cold'.
Reporting emphasis
He TOLD me (not you).
Emphasizing the recipient of the information.
Quote emphasis
He said 'NO'.
Emphasizing the specific words used.
حفظ کنید
روش یادسپاری
You TELL a person, but you SAY a word.
تداعی تصویری
Imagine a megaphone (SAY) broadcasting to a crowd, vs. a person whispering (TELL) directly into someone's ear.
Rhyme
If the listener is in the slot, use TELL to hit the spot. If the message is all you play, then the word you need is SAY.
Story
Tom wanted to share a secret. He SAID, 'I have a secret.' Then he TOLD his friend the secret. His friend SAID, 'Wow!' and TOLD Tom not to worry.
شبکه واژگان
چالش
Look at your last 5 sent text messages. Rewrite them using 'said' or 'told' to report what you or others communicated.
نکات فرهنگی
In some UK dialects, 'I says' is used informally in storytelling (e.g., 'So I says to him...'), but this is grammatically non-standard.
The use of 'be like' as a reporting verb is extremely common among younger generations, often replacing 'said'.
Directness in 'telling' can vary. In some professional cultures, 'I was told' is used to deflect personal responsibility for a decision.
Both words come from Old English: 'secgan' (to say) and 'tellan' (to count, reckon, or relate).
شروعکنندههای مکالمه
Tell me about your favorite childhood memory.
Has anyone ever told you a secret you couldn't keep?
What is something your teacher always told you to do?
Can you tell the difference between cheap and expensive coffee?
موضوعات نگارش
اشتباهات رایج
Test Yourself
She ___ me that she was moving to London.
He ___ 'Hello' and walked away.
Find and fix the mistake:
I said him to be quiet.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
He said to me that he was lost.
A: What did he ___? B: He ___ me to leave.
You can use 'say' followed immediately by a person (e.g., 'I said him').
___ a joke
Score: /8
تمرینهای عملی
8 exercisesShe ___ me that she was moving to London.
He ___ 'Hello' and walked away.
Find and fix the mistake:
I said him to be quiet.
1. Tell, 2. Say
He said to me that he was lost.
A: What did he ___? B: He ___ me to leave.
You can use 'say' followed immediately by a person (e.g., 'I said him').
___ a joke
Score: /8
Practice Bank
13 exercisesOur guide ___ us to stay on the path.
I'm not sure what he ___, but everyone laughed.
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose the correct sentence:
The doctor told that I should get more rest.
Please said them the news as soon as possible.
Translate into English: 'El me dijo un secreto.'
Translate into English: 'Ella dijo que la película era aburrida.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the beginnings with the correct endings:
What did you ___ to him?
They said us they would arrive at 8 PM.
Score: /13
سوالات متداول (8)
Yes, but only if you use the preposition 'to'. For example: 'He said to me that he was tired.' However, 'He told me' is much more common.
These are fixed collocations. 'Tell' is used for longer narratives (stories, jokes), while 'say' is used for shorter, ritualistic utterances (prayers, greetings).
No, 'say' is irregular. The past tense is 'said', pronounced like 'sed'.
Yes! In this case, 'me' is the object, and the 'something' is implied by the context.
'Inform' is much more formal. You 'tell' your friend a secret, but you 'inform' your boss of a decision.
It is always 'tell the truth'.
Yes, it can mean to distinguish or know. 'I can't tell the difference' means 'I don't know the difference'.
It is optional in informal English. 'He said he was tired' and 'He said that he was tired' are both correct.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
decir / contar
Spanish 'decir' doesn't require a change in verb based on the presence of a listener.
dire / raconter
French speakers often say 'He said me' because 'Il m'a dit' is a direct translation.
sagen / erzählen
German uses 'sagen' with a listener more frequently than English uses 'say' with a listener.
iu (言う) / hanasu (話す)
Japanese verbs don't have the same 'object requirement' that 'tell' has.
qala (قال) / akhbara (أخبر)
Arabic uses 'qala' with a preposition 'li' (to) very frequently, similar to 'say to'.
shuō (说) / gàosù (告诉)
Chinese speakers may still confuse them due to the lack of tense markers in their native language.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
ویدیوهای مرتبط
Related Grammar Rules
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