Discours Indirect: Say vs. Tell
say pour les paroles générales, tell pour les messages à quelqu'un.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'tell' when you mention the listener; use 'say' when you focus on the words spoken.
- Tell + Person: Always follow 'tell' with a personal object (e.g., 'Tell me').
- Say + Words: Use 'say' followed by the message or 'that' (e.g., 'Say hello').
- Say + To + Person: If you use 'say' with a person, you must use 'to' (e.g., 'Say to him').
Overview
say et tell est une étape cruciale pour tout apprenant de niveau B1. En tant que francophones, nous avons tendance à traduire ces deux verbes par « dire », ce qui crée une confusion immédiate. En français, nous utilisons le verbe « dire » dans presque toutes les situations : « il m'a dit que...reported speech (le discours rapporté). Si vous voulez paraître naturel et éviter de sonner comme une traduction littérale, vous devez comprendre que tell est un verbe qui nécessite un complément d'objet indirect (le destinataire), alors que say se concentre sur l'acte d'énoncer. C'est une nuance qui transforme votre anglais : au lieu de simplement aligner des mots, vous structurez votre pensée comme un anglophone.say vs tell, il faut regarder la structure de la phrase. En français, le verbe « dire » est très flexible. On dit « je lui dis quelque chose » ou « je dis quelque chose ».tell est intrinsèquement lié à la notion de transfert d'information vers quelqu'un. C'est ce qu'on appelle en anglais un ditransitive verb (ou un verbe nécessitant un objet). Si vous utilisez tell, vous DEVEZ mentionner à qui vous parlez.Tell est synonyme de « transmettre une information ». Par exemple : He told me the news. Ici, me est l'objet indirect.me, la phrase He told the news est incomplète, voire incorrecte dans la plupart des contextes.say se concentre sur les mots prononcés. Le destinataire n'est pas nécessaire. Si vous voulez inclure le destinataire avec say, vous devez impérativement utiliser la préposition to.say to me est la seule structure possible pour introduire un destinataire.Say est donc plus « centré sur le message », tandis que tell est « centré sur la communication interpersonnelle ». Pensez-y ainsi : tell demande toujours « à qui ? », alors que say demande « quoi ?say) ou est-ce que je veux souligner l'interaction entre deux personnes (utilisez tell) ?say + (that) + clause | She said (that) she was tired. |say + to + object + (that) + clause | He said to me that he was busy. |tell + object + (that) + clause | He told me that he was busy. |tell + object + infinitive | She told him to go home. |tell ne peut JAMAIS être suivi directement d'une proposition sans objet. On ne dit jamais He told that.... C'est une erreur fatale. Avec say, le that est souvent omis dans le langage courant : He said he was tired est parfaitement correct et très naturel.say quand :- 1Vous rapportez des paroles sans préciser à qui elles ont été adressées. Exemple :
She said she would be late. - 2Vous utilisez des expressions figées :
say hello,say goodbye,say thank you,say sorry. - 3Vous parlez d'un objet inanimé qui « communique » une information :
The sign says 'Closed',The clock says 3 PM. - 4Vous citez textuellement quelqu'un :
He said, 'I am hungry.'
tell quand :- 1Vous rapportez une information à quelqu'un :
I told my boss about the meeting. - 2Vous donnez un ordre ou une instruction (structure
tell + object + infinitive) :My mother told me to clean my room. - 3Vous utilisez des expressions spécifiques :
tell a story,tell the truth,tell a lie,tell a joke,tell the time. - 4Vous voulez souligner le transfert d'information :
Can you tell me the way to the station?
tell. Si vous pouvez le remplacer par « prononcer », utilisez say.- 1L'oubli de l'objet après
tell: Les francophones disent souvent « He told that he was happy ». Pourquoi ? Parce qu'en français, « il a dit qu'il était heureux » est correct. Mais en anglais,tella besoin d'un destinataire. Correction : « He told me that he was happy ».
- 1L'ajout d'un objet direct après
say: On entend souvent « She said me that... ». C'est une interférence directe du français « elle m'a dit que ». En anglais,sayne prend pas d'objet indirect. Correction : « She said to me that... » ou plus simplement « She told me that... ».
- 1L'usage de
tellavec des citations directes : Les francophones essaient parfois de dire « He told: 'I'm coming' ». C'est incorrect.Tellest un verbe de narration indirecte. Pour les citations directes, utilisez toujourssay. Correction : « He said: 'I'm coming' ».
say et tell avec d'autres verbes de communication pour bien saisir la nuance.say to someone |tell someone |speak to someone |talk to someone |Speak et talk sont souvent utilisés pour décrire l'action de discuter, tandis que say et tell servent à rapporter le contenu d'un message. Si vous dites « I want to speak to him », vous indiquez que vous voulez avoir une conversation. Si vous dites « I want to tell him something », vous indiquez que vous avez un message spécifique à lui transmettre.- 1Puis-je dire « He said me » ? Non, jamais.
Sayne prend jamais d'objet indirect sans la prépositionto. Dites « He said to me » ou « He told me ».
- 1Pourquoi dit-on « tell a joke » et pas « say a joke » ? Parce que certaines expressions sont figées dans la langue.
Tellest utilisé pour les histoires, les blagues et les mensonges, car cela implique une narration ou un transfert d'information structuré.
- 1Est-ce que
tellpeut être utilisé sans objet dans un contexte informel ? Non, même dans le langage courant,tellnécessite un objet. Si vous ne voulez pas préciser la personne, utilisezsay.
Irregular Forms of Say and Tell
| Base Form | Past Simple | Past Participle | Third Person Singular | Present Participle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Say
|
Said /sed/
|
Said /sed/
|
Says /sez/
|
Saying
|
|
Tell
|
Told /toʊld/
|
Told /toʊld/
|
Tells
|
Telling
|
Meanings
The primary function of 'say' and 'tell' is to report information, thoughts, or instructions that were previously expressed by someone else.
Reporting Information
Using verbs to relay a message from one person to another.
“He said that the meeting was canceled.”
“They told us the news this morning.”
Giving Instructions
Using 'tell' to report an order or a strong request.
“The doctor told me to stay in bed.”
“She told him not to worry.”
Idiomatic Expressions
Fixed phrases where only one of the two verbs is correct regardless of the general rule.
“Tell a lie / Tell the truth.”
“Say a prayer.”
Reference Table
| Verbe | Utilisation | Exemple (Direct) | Exemple (Rapporté) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
say
|
Rapport général, pas d'objet direct pour la personne à qui on parle.
|
`He said, "I'm tired." `
|
`He said he was tired.`
|
|
say to
|
Quand tu veux préciser à qui on a parlé, mais c'est facultatif et moins courant.
|
`She said to me, "It's late." `
|
`She said to me that it was late.`
|
|
tell
|
Toujours suivi d'un objet direct (à qui on a parlé).
|
`He told me, "Come here!" `
|
`He told me to come there.`
|
|
tell
|
Utilisé pour les instructions, informations, histoires, secrets, nouvelles.
|
`She told her friend, "I have a secret." `
|
`She told her friend she had a secret.`
|
|
tell
|
Pour les ordres, `tell` + objet + infinitif.
|
`My boss told us, "Finish by Friday." `
|
`My boss told us to finish by Friday.`
|
|
say
|
Avec une proposition en `that`, on omet souvent `that`.
|
`He said (that) he would be late.`
|
`He said (that) he would be late.`
|
|
tell
|
Avec une proposition en `that`, `that` est souvent facultatif mais l'objet ne l'est jamais.
|
`She told them (that) she loved the gift.`
|
`She told them (that) she loved the gift.`
|
Spectre de formalité
He informed me of his resignation. (Workplace gossip)
He told me he was quitting. (Workplace gossip)
He said he's out of here. (Workplace gossip)
He was like, 'I'm done.' (Workplace gossip)
Exemples par niveau
He says 'Hello'.
He says 'Hello'.
Tell me your name.
Tell me your name.
She said 'Yes'.
She said 'Yes'.
They told us the secret.
They told us the secret.
I told him that I was busy.
I told him that I was busy.
What did you say to her?
What did you say to her?
He told a very funny joke.
He told a very funny joke.
She said she didn't like the food.
She said she didn't like the food.
The teacher told the students to open their books.
The teacher told the students to open their books.
I said that I would think about it.
I said that I would think about it.
Can you tell me how to get to the station?
Can you tell me how to get to the station?
He said to me that he was moving to London.
He said to me that he was moving to London.
It is said that the castle is haunted.
It is said that the castle is haunted.
He told me off for being late again.
He told me off for being late again.
I couldn't tell if she was joking or not.
I couldn't tell if she was joking or not.
She said she'd been waiting for over an hour.
She said she'd been waiting for over an hour.
To tell you the truth, I'm quite disappointed.
To tell you the truth, I'm quite disappointed.
The evidence says otherwise.
The evidence says otherwise.
I was told that the position had been filled.
I was told that the position had been filled.
Needless to say, we were all very surprised.
Needless to say, we were all very surprised.
There is much to be said for his approach.
There is much to be said for his approach.
The clock told of a time long forgotten.
The clock told of a time long forgotten.
He has the final say in all budgetary matters.
He has the final say in all budgetary matters.
I can't tell one twin from the other.
I can't tell one twin from the other.
Facile à confondre
Learners use 'say' when they mean the act of talking or using a language.
Learners use 'tell' to describe a two-way conversation.
Learners forget the 'to' when using 'say' with a person.
Erreurs courantes
He said me hello.
He said hello to me.
She told that she is happy.
She said that she is happy.
I tell to him the news.
I tell him the news.
He said me his name.
He told me his name.
They said us to wait.
They told us to wait.
Can you say me the time?
Can you tell me the time?
He told a prayer.
He said a prayer.
I said him that I would come.
I told him that I would come.
She told to me a lie.
She told me a lie.
He said me to shut up.
He told me to shut up.
The report tells that profits are up.
The report says that profits are up.
Structures de phrases
She told me that ___.
He said, '___'.
They told us to ___.
It's hard to tell the difference between ___ and ___.
Real World Usage
He said he's gonna be late.
My previous boss told me I was a great team player.
The witness said that the car was blue.
I told him to turn left at the light.
The post says the event is canceled.
The agent told me my refund was processed.
Cherche toujours l'interlocuteur
He told *me* the news.
On ne 'say' pas une histoire !
She told me a funny story.
Pense 'information' pour 'tell'
Could you tell me the way?
Les sous-titres omettent souvent 'that'
He said he was busy.ou "She told me she'd call."
Entraîne-toi avec des événements passés
I told my mom about it.vs
I said it was a good idea.
Smart Tips
Stop! Change it to 'told me' or 'said to me'.
Always use 'tell' + person + 'to'. It's the cleanest way to report an order.
Always check for the 'to'.
Use 'says', not 'tells'.
Prononciation
The 'Said' Vowel
The word 'said' is pronounced with a short /e/ sound, like 'bed'. It does NOT rhyme with 'paid'.
The 'Says' Vowel
Similarly, 'says' is pronounced /sez/, rhyming with 'fez', not /seɪz/.
Told Diphthong
The 'o' in 'told' is a long diphthong /oʊ/, like in 'gold' or 'cold'.
Reporting Emphasis
He TOLD me (not just said it!)
Emphasizing 'told' stresses that the information was specifically directed at the listener.
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
TELL needs a TAIL (a person at the end of the verb). SAY is for what you SPAY (speak/display).
Association visuelle
Imagine the word 'TELL' having a long arm reaching out to grab a person (me, you, him). Imagine 'SAY' as a speech bubble containing only words, with no one nearby.
Rhyme
If you mention who you sell the news to, use TELL. If the words are all you say, then SAY is the way.
Story
Tom wanted to share a secret. He **said** 'I have a secret' to the wall. Then he saw Mary. He **told Mary** the secret. Mary **said** 'Wow!' and then she **told everyone**.
Word Web
Défi
Look at your last 3 sent text messages. If you were reporting them to a friend, would you use 'say' or 'tell'? Write them out now.
Notes culturelles
Using 'tell' for orders is common, but in some cultures, it can sound too direct or aggressive. Using 'He said that I should...' is slightly softer than 'He told me to...'.
In casual American English, 'be like' is frequently used instead of 'say' or 'tell' to report speech and thoughts simultaneously.
The phrase 'I've been told' is a common polite way to introduce a piece of information without naming the source, often used in professional settings.
Both verbs come from Old English roots. 'Say' comes from 'secgan' (to say, speak, tell), and 'tell' comes from 'tellan' (to count, reckon, relate).
Amorces de conversation
What did your best friend tell you recently?
Tell me about a time someone told you a secret.
What is the funniest joke someone has ever told you?
If you could say one thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Sujets d'écriture
Erreurs courantes
Test Yourself
She ___ me she couldn't make it to the party.
Find and fix the mistake:
The news reporter told that the storm was approaching.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Score: /3
Exercices pratiques
8 exercisesShe ___ me that she was tired.
He ___ that he would be late for the meeting.
Find and fix the mistake:
I said him to be quiet.
He said to me, 'I am hungry.'
Match the following:
A: What did the doctor ___ you? B: He ___ I should eat more vegetables.
Select the correct sentence.
You can use 'say' with a person if you use 'to'.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesMy coach always ___ us to train harder.
The weather forecast told it would rain tomorrow.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'My professor told me to read chapter three.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Associe le verbe rapporté à la structure correcte :
The sign ___ 'No Parking'.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'She said she would call me back.'
He told a lie on his resume.
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Associe le début de la phrase à la bonne continuation :
Score: /12
FAQ (8)
Yes, but only in specific idioms like `tell a lie`, `tell the truth`, `tell a story`, or `tell the time`.
Yes, it is grammatically correct, but it is much less common than `He told me`. It sounds a bit more formal or old-fashioned.
`Tell` is for giving information (one-way), while `talk` is for having a conversation (two-way).
This is an old idiomatic use of 'tell' meaning 'to count' or 'to account for'.
Yes! `Tell me that you love me` is a perfect example of 'tell + person + that-clause'.
No. `Said` is pronounced /sed/, rhyming with 'red' or 'bed'.
You can, but you need to use 'that' and a modal verb: `He said that I should go`. `He told me to go` is more direct.
If you aren't mentioning the listener, you must use `say`. Example: `Someone said there was a fire.`
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
decir / contar
Spanish allows 'me dijo' (he said me), which is impossible in English.
dire / raconter
French doesn't have a direct equivalent to the 'tell + person' structural rule.
sagen / erzählen
German 'sagen' is used more often with people than English 'say'.
iu (言う) / tsutaeru (伝える)
Japanese doesn't distinguish between say/tell based on the presence of a listener in the same way.
qala (قال) / akhbara (أخبر)
Arabic uses one verb ('qala') for both 'say' and 'tell' in 90% of cases.
shuō (说) / gàosù (告诉)
Chinese 'shuō' can sometimes take a person as an object in casual speech.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Vidéos associées
02:24 YouTube vs Grey: A Ballad of Accidental Suspension
09:41 Let's talk about porn literacy: Sex Ed #12
09:32 The Hidden Politics of Home: Crash Course Latin American Literature #8
Say vs Tell - Reported Speech - Anglais - Grammaire - Leçon 16
Anglais Cours Club
Say ou Tell ? La différence entre les deux verbes - Anglais
Isabelle - Anglais pour tous
Say et Tell en anglais : comment les utiliser ?
Anglais avec Mr. G
Related Grammar Rules
Voix Passive pour l'Objectivité : 'On dit que...'
Overview Vous êtes-vous déjà demandé pourquoi les présentateurs de journaux télévisés ont l'air si sérieux ? Ils disent...
Discours Indirect avec Modaux et Rapport Passif (C1)
Overview Vous êtes-vous déjà demandé pourquoi quelqu'un sur Reddit dit `It's rumored that he might have ghosted her` au...
Quand utiliser la voix passive (Rapporter les nouvelles et les rumeurs)
Overview T'as déjà fait défiler ton fil X (Twitter) et vu un post disant : "It is rumored that the new GTA game is drop...
Structures de Rapport Passif (Il est dit qu'il est...)
### Overview Si tu as déjà lu un article du *New York Times*, écouté un rapport financier sur *Bloomberg* ou parcouru u...
La voix passive : l'accent sur les actions (passif présent simple)
### Overview Tu t'es déjà demandé pourquoi, dans un article de journal ou une notice technique, on semble éviter de dir...
