says

'Says' is a fundamental verb in English used to report what someone has spoken or communicated. It's the simple present tense, third-person singular form of 'say'. This means it's used when the subject is a singular noun or pronoun (he, she, it, the dog, Mary) performing the action of speaking in the present.

The primary use of 'says' is to introduce a quotation or to paraphrase what someone has communicated. It can be used with direct speech (e.g., 'He says, “I am tired.”') or indirect speech (e.g., 'She says that she is tired.'). It can also be used to express the content of written text, such as a sign or a book (e.g., 'The sign says “Stop”.').

'Says' is extremely common in everyday conversation, storytelling, news reporting, and written communication. You'll hear it when people are reporting what others have told them, summarizing information, or indicating the content of a message. For example, in a casual conversation, someone might say, 'My friend says he's coming over later.' In a news report, 'The president says the economy is improving.' In a classroom, 'The teacher says we need to study harder.'

The most common similar word is 'tells'. While both involve communication, 'tells' often implies giving information or instructions directly to someone, and it is usually followed by an object (the person being told). For example, 'He tells me a story' (he is speaking to me) vs. 'He says a story' (he is speaking, perhaps to himself or an audience, and the content is a story). 'Says' is more general about the act of speaking or the content of speech.