B1 Confusable-words 17 min read मध्यम

Said बनाम Told: क्या अंतर है?

'Told' always needs a listener mentioned in the sentence; 'said' doesn't.
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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.'
🗣️ SAY + [Words] | 🗣️ TELL + 👤 PERSON + [Words]

Overview

### Overview
जब हम English सीखते हैं, तो कुछ शब्द ऐसे होते हैं जो दिखने में लगभग एक जैसे लगते हैं और उनका मतलब भी समान ही महसूस होता है। say (जिसका past tense said है) और tell (जिसका past tense told है) ऐसे ही दो शब्द हैं। एक native Hindi speaker के रूप में, आपके लिए इन दोनों के बीच उलझना बहुत स्वाभाविक है।
ऐसा क्यों होता है? क्योंकि हिंदी में हम «कहना» और «बताना» शब्दों का इस्तेमाल बहुत flexibly करते हैं। उदाहरण के लिए, हम कहते हैं «उसने मुझसे कहा» या «उसने मुझे बताया»। दोनों ही वाक्यों में हम संचार (communication) की बात कर रहे हैं। लेकिन English में, said और told का इस्तेमाल पूरी तरह से अलग Grammar rules पर निर्भर करता है।
अगर मैं इसे एक लाइन में समझाऊँ: tell (या told) के तुरंत बाद हमेशा उस व्यक्ति का जिक्र होना चाहिए जिससे बात कही जा रही है (Listener), जबकि say (या said) का पूरा ध्यान सिर्फ उस 'संदेश' (Message) पर होता है जो कहा गया है।
कल्पना करो कि तुम ऑफिस में हो या चाय की दुकान पर दोस्तों के साथ हो। अगर तुम किसी को कोई गॉसिप या खबर दे रहे हो, तो तुम कहोगे Rahul told me that he is resigning (राहुल ने मुझे बताया कि वह इस्तीफा दे रहा है)। यहाँ me (मुझे) Listener है, इसलिए told आया। लेकिन अगर तुम सिर्फ बात बता रहे हो बिना यह बताए कि राहुल ने किससे कहा, तो तुम कहोगे Rahul said that he is resigning।
इस Grammar concept को समझना B1 (Intermediate) level पर बहुत जरूरी है। यह सिर्फ सही English बोलने की बात नहीं है, बल्कि यह तुम्हें ज्यादा natural और confident sound करने में मदद करेगा। आइए इसे गहराई से समझते हैं।
### How This Grammar Works
इस Grammar को पूरी तरह से समझने के लिए, हमें यह देखना होगा कि Hindi और English के sentence structures कैसे काम करते हैं।
हिंदी में, हमारा sentence structure SOV (Subject-Object-Verb) होता है और हम postpositions (जैसे 'ने', 'को', 'से') का इस्तेमाल करते हैं। जब हम कहते हैं «उसने मुझ-से कहा», तो 'से' यह बताता है कि बात किसे कही गई।
English का structure SVO (Subject-Verb-Object) है। English verbs की एक property होती है जिसे 'Transitivity' कहते हैं। इसे आसान भाषा में ऐसे समझो: कुछ verbs इतने 'भूखे' होते हैं कि उन्हें अपने तुरंत बाद एक Object (कोई व्यक्ति या चीज़) चाहिए ही चाहिए।
1. The Mechanics of Told (बताना / किसी को जानकारी देना)
tell (past tense: told) एक ऐसा verb है जिसे एक Direct Listener (Object) की जरूरत होती है। यह एक 'Delivery Boy' की तरह है। एक Delivery Boy तब तक पार्सल डिलीवर नहीं कर सकता जब तक उसके पास कोई पता (Address/Person) न हो।
इसलिए, told के तुरंत बाद उस इंसान का नाम या pronoun आना अनिवार्य है जिसे बात बताई जा रही है।
  • सही: She told me a secret. (उसने मुझे एक राज बताया।)
  • गलत: She told a secret. (किसे बताया? Listener गायब है, इसलिए यह grammatically गलत है।)
2. The Mechanics of Said (कहना / कोई बात बोलना)
दूसरी तरफ, say (past tense: said) एक 'Radio Broadcast' की तरह है। रेडियो बस अपना संदेश हवा में छोड़ देता है; उसका फोकस इस बात पर नहीं होता कि उसे कौन सुन रहा है, बल्कि इस बात पर होता है कि क्या कहा जा रहा है।
इसलिए, said के बाद हम सीधे वह बात (message) रख देते हैं जो कही गई।
  • सही: She said that she was tired. (उसने कहा कि वह थकी हुई है।)
Hindi से तुलना:
हिंदी में हम कहते हैं: «उसने मुझे बताया।» -> English में: He told me. (यहाँ told के बाद me सीधा आ गया)।
हिंदी में हम कहते हैं: «उसने मुझ-से कहा।» -> English में: He said to me. (यहाँ ध्यान दो! अगर said के साथ Listener लगाना ही हो, तो हमें to preposition का इस्तेमाल करना पड़ता है। English में He said me बिल्कुल गलत है, क्योंकि said सीधे किसी इंसान को object नहीं बना सकता)।
### Formation Pattern
अब जब हम इसके पीछे का logic समझ गए हैं, तो आइए इसके Patterns (फॉर्मूले) देखते हैं। इन patterns को याद रखना तुम्हारे लिए बहुत मददगार साबित होगा। हम Past Tense (said और told) पर फोकस करेंगे क्योंकि सबसे ज्यादा गलतियाँ यहीं होती हैं।
Pattern 1: Said का इस्तेमाल
Said का मुख्य फोकस 'Message' पर होता है।
| Structure | Example (English) | Hindi Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Subject + said + (that) + Message | Rohan said that he is busy. | रोहन ने कहा कि वह व्यस्त है। |
| Subject + said + Direct Quote | Rohan said, I am busy. | रोहन ने कहा, «मैं व्यस्त हूँ।» |
| Subject + said + to + Listener + Message | Rohan said to me that he is busy. | रोहन ने मुझसे कहा कि वह व्यस्त है। (यह थोड़ा formal है) |
*Note:* Spoken English में that को अक्सर हटा दिया जाता है (Rohan said he is busy), जो कि बिल्कुल सही है।
Pattern 2: Told का इस्तेमाल
Told के साथ Listener (सुनने वाला) का होना बहुत जरूरी है।
| Structure | Example (English) | Hindi Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Subject + told + Listener + (that) + Message | Rohan told me that he is busy. | रोहन ने मुझे बताया कि वह व्यस्त है। |
| Subject + told + Listener + Direct Quote | Rohan told me, I am busy. | रोहन ने मुझे बताया, «मैं व्यस्त हूँ।» |
| Subject + told + Listener + to + Verb (Order/Instruction) | The boss told us to work hard. | बॉस ने हमें कड़ी मेहनत करने को कहा। |
Pattern Summary (शॉर्टकट):
  • said + (that) + words
  • told + person + (that) + words
### When To Use It
Grammar के rules जानना एक बात है, लेकिन यह पता होना कि किस situation में कौन सा शब्द natural लगेगा, वह असली fluency है। आइए अलग-अलग situations देखते हैं।
A. Said का इस्तेमाल कब करें?
  1. 1जब फोकस सिर्फ 'क्या कहा गया' पर हो:
अगर यह जरूरी नहीं है कि बात किससे कही गई, तो हमेशा said का इस्तेमाल करो।
  • The Prime Minister said that the economy is growing. (प्रधानमंत्री ने कहा कि अर्थव्यवस्था बढ़ रही है। यहाँ पूरी जनता सुन रही है, कोई एक specific listener नहीं है।)
  1. 1निर्जीव चीज़ों (Inanimate Objects) के लिए:
हिंदी में हम कहते हैं «अखबार में लिखा है» या «बोर्ड पर लिखा है»। English में किताबें, साइन बोर्ड, या लेटर्स 'बोलते' हैं, लेकिन वे किसी एक इंसान को point करके नहीं बोलते। इसलिए इनके साथ हमेशा said (या present tense में says) आता है।
  • The sign said No Parking. (साइन बोर्ड पर «नो पार्किंग» लिखा था।)
  • The email said that tomorrow is a holiday. (ईमेल में लिखा था कि कल छुट्टी है। यहाँ The email told me कहना अजीब लगेगा।)
  1. 1Direct Speech (सीधे संवाद) में:
जब हम किसी के कहे गए exact शब्दों को quote करते हैं (जैसे बॉलीवुड डायलॉग्स)।
  • I will be back,
    he said.
B. Told का इस्तेमाल कब करें?
  1. 1जब जानकारी किसी खास व्यक्ति को दी जा रही हो:
  • I told my mom about the exam results. (मैंने अपनी मम्मी को परीक्षा के नतीजों के बारे में बताया।)
  • Did you tell him the wifi password? (क्या तुमने उसे वाईफाई का पासवर्ड बताया?)
  1. 1आदेश (Instructions) या सलाह (Advice) देने के लिए:
जब कोई किसी को कुछ 'करने' के लिए कहता है। हिंदी में हम कहते हैं «डॉक्टर ने मुझे दवा खाने को कहा»। यहाँ 'कहा' के लिए said नहीं, told आएगा क्योंकि यह एक instruction है।
  • The doctor told me to drink more water. (डॉक्टर ने मुझे ज्यादा पानी पीने को कहा।)
  • My father told me not to drive fast. (मेरे पिता ने मुझे तेज गाड़ी न चलाने के लिए कहा।)
  1. 1Fixed Expressions (Collocations) के साथ:
English में कुछ phrases फिक्स होते हैं। इनमें हमेशा tell / told ही आता है, चाहे Listener हो या न हो। इन्हें तुम्हें याद करना होगा:
  • tell a lie (झूठ बोलना) -> He told a lie.
  • tell the truth (सच बोलना) -> She always tells the truth.
  • tell a story (कहानी सुनाना) -> My grandfather told me a story.
  • tell the time (समय बताना) -> Can you tell me the time?
  • tell the difference (फर्क बताना/पहचानना) -> I can't tell the difference between these two colors.
### Common Mistakes
Native Hindi speakers अक्सर अपनी मातृभाषा (L1) के प्रभाव के कारण कुछ खास गलतियाँ करते हैं। आइए देखते हैं कि वे गलतियाँ क्या हैं और उन्हें कैसे सुधारें।
Mistake 1: Told के साथ to लगाना (The «उसने मुझ-से कहा» effect)
  • ❌ गलत: He told to me that he is coming.
  • ✅ सही: He told me that he is coming.
*ऐसा क्यों होता है?* हिंदी में हम «मुझ-से» या «उस-से» कहते हैं। हमारे दिमाग में 'से' का translation 'to' होता है। इसलिए हम told के बाद to लगा देते हैं।
*याद रखें:* tell / told को किसी preposition की जरूरत नहीं होती। वे सीधे Listener से जुड़ते हैं।
Mistake 2: Said के बाद सीधे Listener लगा देना
  • ❌ गलत: She said me that she is happy.
  • ✅ सही: She said to me that she is happy. (या बेहतर: She told me that she is happy.)
*ऐसा क्यों होता है?* कई बार हम English बोलते समय prepositions को खा जाते हैं (omit कर देते हैं)।
*याद रखें:* अगर said के बाद तुम किसी इंसान का जिक्र कर रहे हो, तो बीच में to लगाना कम्पलसरी है।
Mistake 3: Instructions के लिए said का गलत इस्तेमाल
  • ❌ गलत: The teacher said us to open the book.
  • ✅ सही: The teacher told us to open the book.
*ऐसा क्यों होता है?* हिंदी में हम कहते हैं
टीचर ने हमें किताब खोलने को कहा
। हम 'कहा' का सीधा translation said कर देते हैं।
*याद रखें:* जब भी कोई instruction या order दिया जा रहा हो (verb से पहले to लगाकर), तो हमेशा told का इस्तेमाल करें।
### Contrast With Similar Patterns
say और tell के अलावा, speak और talk भी ऐसे verbs हैं जो बोलने से जुड़े हैं। आइए एक comparison table से इनके बीच का अंतर समझते हैं ताकि कोई confusion न रहे।
| Verb | Focus (किस बात पर ध्यान है) | Grammar Pattern | Example | Hindi Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Say | Message (क्या शब्द कहे गए) | say + (that) + message | He said that he is fine. | कहना |
| Tell | Information & Listener (किसे क्या बताया) | tell + listener + message | He told me that he is fine. | बताना / जानकारी देना |
| Speak | The physical act of talking / Languages / Formal | speak + with/to + person | I need to speak to the manager. / She speaks French. | बात करना / बोलना (औपचारिक या भाषा) |
| Talk | Conversation / Exchange of ideas (Informal) | talk + with/to + person | We talked for hours at the cafe. | बातचीत करना (अनौपचारिक) |
एक ही situation को 4 तरीकों से देखो:
  1. 1Rahul said that the meeting is cancelled. (राहुल ने संदेश दिया।)
  2. 2Rahul told me that the meeting is cancelled. (राहुल ने मुझे जानकारी दी।)
  3. 3Rahul spoke to the boss about the meeting. (राहुल ने बॉस से फॉर्मल बात की।)
  4. 4Rahul and I talked about the meeting. (राहुल और मैंने मीटिंग के बारे में बातचीत की।)
### Quick FAQ
Q1. क्या मैं He said to me बोल सकता हूँ? क्या यह natural लगता है?
हाँ, He said to me grammatically बिल्कुल सही है। लेकिन, modern English में यह थोड़ा formal या पुराना (old-fashioned) लगता है। Spoken English में, अगर Listener मौजूद है, तो native speakers He told me बोलना ज्यादा पसंद करते हैं।
Q2. अगर मुझे किसी को कोई जोक (joke) सुनाना हो, तो मैं say a joke कहूँगा या tell a joke?
हमेशा tell a joke कहेंगे। जैसा कि हमने पहले देखा, कुछ phrases fixed होते हैं। कहानियाँ, चुटकुले, सच या झूठ—इन सबको 'सुनाया' या 'बताया' जाता है, इसलिए इनके साथ हमेशा tell / told आता है।
Q3.
The newspaper told that...
कहना सही है क्या?
नहीं, यह गलत है। अख़बार (Newspaper), किताबें, या घड़ियाँ निर्जीव (inanimate) हैं। वे किसी इंसान की तरह तुम्हें 'बता' नहीं सकतीं। इसलिए हमेशा The newspaper said that... या The clock says 10 PM का इस्तेमाल करें।
Q4. क्या tell का इस्तेमाल बिना Listener के कभी नहीं हो सकता?
सिर्फ उन Fixed Expressions में हो सकता है जिनकी हमने बात की (जैसे tell the truth, tell a lie)। इनके अलावा, सामान्य वाक्यों में tell के साथ Listener (me, him, her, us, John) का होना अनिवार्य है।
बस इतना ही! अगली बार जब तुम WhatsApp पर किसी को कोई बात बताओ, तो याद रखना: अगर तुम उसे point कर रहे हो (Listener), तो told लगाओ, और अगर सिर्फ बात हवा में उछाल रहे हो (Message), तो said लगाओ। Happy learning!

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.

1

Reporting Information

To give information or news to someone.

“He said that the meeting was canceled.”

“She told her boss that she was quitting.”

2

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.”

3

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.”

4

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

Reference table for Said बनाम Told: क्या अंतर है?
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.

औपचारिकता का स्तर

औपचारिक
He informed the committee that he would be resigning.

He informed the committee that he would be resigning. (Workplace resignation)

तटस्थ
He told the committee that he was quitting.

He told the committee that he was quitting. (Workplace resignation)

अनौपचारिक
He said he was gonna quit.

He said he was gonna quit. (Workplace resignation)

बोलचाल
He was like, 'I'm out.'

He was like, 'I'm out.' (Workplace resignation)

The Communication Flow

Reporting

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

SAY
SAY + something Say a prayer
SAY + to someone Say to me
TELL
TELL + someone Tell her
TELL + someone + something Tell him a secret

Which verb should I use?

1

Are you mentioning the listener immediately?

YES
Use TELL
NO
Use SAY
2

Is it a story, joke, or the truth?

YES
Use TELL
NO
Check other rules

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
पूरी व्याख्या पढ़ने के लिए मुफ़्त साइन अप करें

स्तर के अनुसार उदाहरण

1

He said hello.

Él dijo hola.

2

Tell me your name.

Dime tu nombre.

3

She said, 'I am hungry.'

Ella dijo: 'Tengo hambre'.

4

They told us a joke.

Ellos nos contaron un chiste.

1

He told me that he was tired.

Él me dijo que estaba cansado.

2

What did you say to her?

¿Qué le dijiste a ella?

3

The teacher told the students to sit down.

El profesor les dijo a los estudiantes que se sentaran.

4

I said I would help you.

Dije que te ayudaría.

1

She told me about her trip to Italy.

Ella me contó sobre su viaje a Italia.

2

He said he had never been there before.

Dijo que nunca había estado allí antes.

3

Can you tell the difference between these two?

¿Puedes notar la diferencia entre estos dos?

4

I told him not to worry about the bill.

Le dije que no se preocupara por la cuenta.

1

It is said that the CEO will resign tomorrow.

Se dice que el CEO renunciará mañana.

2

I couldn't tell if she was being serious or not.

No podía saber si hablaba en serio o no.

3

He said to me, quite clearly, that he was finished.

Me dijo, muy claramente, que había terminado.

4

To tell you the truth, I don't really like pizza.

A decir verdad, no me gusta mucho la pizza.

1

The evidence tells a very different story.

La evidencia cuenta una historia muy diferente.

2

Needless to say, we were all very disappointed.

No hace falta decir que todos estábamos muy decepcionados.

3

He was told off by his manager for being late.

Su gerente lo regañó por llegar tarde.

4

I can't tell you how much I appreciate this.

No puedo expresarte cuánto agradezco esto.

1

There were fifty people there, all told.

Había cincuenta personas allí, en total.

2

The long hours were starting to tell on his health.

Las largas horas estaban empezando a afectar su salud.

3

Whatever he says goes in this office.

Lo que él diga se hace en esta oficina.

4

He has a certain 'je ne sais quoi', as the French say.

Tiene un cierto 'no sé qué', como dicen los franceses.

आसानी से भ्रमित होने वाले

Said vs. Told: What's the Difference? बनाम Speak vs. Talk

Learners often use 'say' when they mean 'talk' or 'speak'.

Said vs. Told: What's the Difference? बनाम Say to vs. Tell

Learners forget the 'to' when using 'say' with a listener.

Said vs. Told: What's the Difference? बनाम Reported Speech Tenses

Mixing up the tense backshift while trying to choose between say and tell.

सामान्य गलतियाँ

✗

He told that he is happy.

✓

He said that he is happy.

You cannot use 'tell' without a person following it.
✗

She said me hello.

✓

She said hello to me.

You cannot put a person directly after 'say'.
✗

I sayed him the truth.

✓

I told him the truth.

'Sayed' is not a word; the past of 'say' is 'said'. Also, use 'tell' for the truth.
✗

Tell to me your name.

✓

Tell me your name.

Do not use 'to' after 'tell'.
✗

He told to go home.

✓

He told me to go home.

'Tell' needs an object before the 'to-infinitive'.
✗

I said him to wait.

✓

I told him to wait.

Use 'tell' for instructions/orders.
✗

She said a story.

✓

She told a story.

'Story' is a fixed collocation with 'tell'.
✗

He said me that he was busy.

✓

He told me that he was busy.

If you have an object (me), use 'tell'.
✗

Can you say me the time?

✓

Can you tell me the time?

Fixed expression for time is 'tell'.
✗

I said to him 'No'.

✓

I said 'No' to him.

Word order with 'say to' usually puts the message first if it's short.
✗

All said, it was a good day.

✓

All told, it was a good day.

The idiom for 'in total' is 'all told'.
✗

The stress was starting to say on her.

✓

The stress was starting to tell on her.

The phrasal use for 'having an effect' is 'tell on'.

वाक्य संरचनाएँ

He told me that ___.

She said, '___.'

I can't tell if ___.

They told us to ___.

Real World Usage

Texting constant

He said he's on his way.

Job Interview very common

I told my previous employer that I was ready for a new challenge.

Social Media very common

Who told you that?!

Travel common

The pilot said there would be some turbulence.

Food Delivery occasional

I told the driver to leave the food at the gate.

Doctor's Visit common

The doctor told me to take this medicine twice a day.

सभी उदाहरण देखने के लिए मुफ़्त साइन अप करें
💡

The 'Me' Test

If you can put 'me' or 'him' right after the verb, use 'tell'. If it sounds wrong, use 'say'.
⚠️

No 'To' with Tell

Never say 'tell to me'. It's just 'tell me'.
🎯

Reporting Orders

Always use 'tell' for orders. 'He told me to shut up' is much more natural than 'He said to shut up'.
💬

Secrets and Jokes

In English culture, we 'tell' secrets, jokes, and stories. Using 'say' for these makes them sound like single sentences rather than shared information.

Smart Tips

Choose 'tell'.

He ___ John the news. → He told John the news.

Use 'say'.

She ___ 'I am coming'. → She said 'I am coming'.

Drop the 'that' after say or tell.

He said that he was hungry. → He said he was hungry.

Use 'tell' to mean 'distinguish'.

I can't say the difference. → I can't tell the difference.

उच्चारण

/sed/

The 'said' vowel

The word 'said' is pronounced with a short 'e' sound, like 'bed'. It is NOT pronounced like 'paid'.

/sez/

The 'says' vowel

Similarly, 'says' is pronounced /sez/, like 'says' rhymes with 'fez'.

/toʊld/

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.

याद करें

स्मृति सहायक

You TELL a person, but you SAY a word.

दृश्य संबंध

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.

Word Web

saidtoldreportinglistenermessageobjectclause

चैलेंज

Look at your last 5 sent text messages. Rewrite them using 'said' or 'told' to report what you or others communicated.

सांस्कृतिक नोट्स

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).

बातचीत की शुरुआत

“

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?

डायरी विषय

Write about a time someone told you some surprising news. What did they say exactly?
Describe a famous story or legend from your country. Who told it to you first?
Discuss the importance of telling the truth in professional settings.
Write a dialogue between two people where one is trying to tell a joke and the other keeps interrupting.

सामान्य गलतियाँ

Incorrect

सही

Incorrect

सही

Incorrect

सही

Incorrect

सही

Sign up free to see all tips

Test Yourself

Choose the correct verb for the sentence. बहुविकल्पी

She ___ me that she was moving to London.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: told
We use 'told' because there is a personal object ('me').
Fill in the blank with 'said' or 'told'.

He ___ 'Hello' and walked away.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: said
We use 'said' for specific words or greetings without a direct personal object.
Correct the mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

I said him to be quiet.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I told him to be quiet.
For instructions (to + verb), use 'tell' + object.
Match the verb with the correct phrase. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a. the truth, b. a prayer
'Tell the truth' and 'Say a prayer' are fixed collocations.
Change the sentence from 'say' to 'tell'. Sentence Transformation

He said to me that he was lost.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He told me that he was lost.
'Tell me' replaces 'said to me'.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: What did he ___? B: He ___ me to leave.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: say / told
A asks about the words; B reports an instruction given to them.
Is this rule true or false? True False Rule

You can use 'say' followed immediately by a person (e.g., 'I said him').

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
You must use 'say to him' or 'tell him'.
Which verb goes with 'a joke'? Grammar Sorting

___ a joke

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tell
We always 'tell' jokes.

Score: /8

अभ्यास प्रश्न

8 exercises
Choose the correct verb for the sentence. बहुविकल्पी

She ___ me that she was moving to London.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: told
We use 'told' because there is a personal object ('me').
Fill in the blank with 'said' or 'told'.

He ___ 'Hello' and walked away.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: said
We use 'said' for specific words or greetings without a direct personal object.
Correct the mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

I said him to be quiet.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I told him to be quiet.
For instructions (to + verb), use 'tell' + object.
Match the verb with the correct phrase. Match Pairs

1. Tell, 2. Say

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a. the truth, b. a prayer
'Tell the truth' and 'Say a prayer' are fixed collocations.
Change the sentence from 'say' to 'tell'. Sentence Transformation

He said to me that he was lost.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He told me that he was lost.
'Tell me' replaces 'said to me'.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: What did he ___? B: He ___ me to leave.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: say / told
A asks about the words; B reports an instruction given to them.
Is this rule true or false? True False Rule

You can use 'say' followed immediately by a person (e.g., 'I said him').

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
You must use 'say to him' or 'tell him'.
Which verb goes with 'a joke'? Grammar Sorting

___ a joke

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tell
We always 'tell' jokes.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

13 exercises
Choose the correct word to complete the sentence. खाली जगह भरो

Our guide ___ us to stay on the path.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: told
Choose the correct word to complete the sentence. खाली जगह भरो

I'm not sure what he ___, but everyone laughed.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: said
Which sentence is correct? बहुविकल्पी

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She told us she was feeling unwell.
Which sentence is correct? बहुविकल्पी

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He said his name was Leo.
Find and fix the mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

The doctor told that I should get more rest.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The doctor said that I should get more rest.
Find and fix the mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

Please said them the news as soon as possible.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Please tell them the news as soon as possible.
Type the correct English sentence. अनुवाद

Translate into English: 'El me dijo un secreto.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["He told me a secret.","He told a secret to me."]
Type the correct English sentence. अनुवाद

Translate into English: 'Ella dijo que la película era aburrida.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["She said the movie was boring.","She said that the movie was boring."]
Put the words in order to form a correct sentence. Sentence Reorder

Arrange these words into a sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The coach told the team that they played well.
Put the words in order to form a correct sentence. Sentence Reorder

Arrange these words into a sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He said goodbye and left.
Match the sentence beginnings with the correct endings. Match Pairs

Match the beginnings with the correct endings:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: matched
Choose the correct word to complete the sentence. खाली जगह भरो

What did you ___ to him?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: say
Find and fix the mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

They said us they would arrive at 8 PM.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: They told us they would arrive at 8 PM.

Score: /13

अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल (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

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

अभ्यास करने के लिए मुफ़्त साइन अप करें

In Other Languages

Spanish moderate

decir / contar

Spanish 'decir' doesn't require a change in verb based on the presence of a listener.

French moderate

dire / raconter

French speakers often say 'He said me' because 'Il m'a dit' is a direct translation.

German high

sagen / erzählen

German uses 'sagen' with a listener more frequently than English uses 'say' with a listener.

Japanese low

iu (言う) / hanasu (話す)

Japanese verbs don't have the same 'object requirement' that 'tell' has.

Arabic moderate

qala (قال) / akhbara (أخبر)

Arabic uses 'qala' with a preposition 'li' (to) very frequently, similar to 'say to'.

Chinese high

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

Previous
Upon बनाम On: क्या अंतर है?
Next
उपमा बनाम रूपक बनाम सादृश्य: क्या अंतर है?

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GLADIATOR | "Are You Not Entertained" Clip | Paramount Movies 01:36

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