English — say vs tell

Both verbs report speech, but the grammar differs. You say something (to someone), while you tell someone something. Getting the object pattern right is the key.

How it works

✓ Rule

Tell takes a personal object directly: I told her the truth, tell me your name. Say does not take a personal object — you add to: I said goodbye to her, say hello to John. So say something to somebody, but tell somebody something.

Examples

Patterns and fixed phrases
Example	Pattern / use
She said nothing.	say + something (no person)
Say hello to your mother.	say + something + to + person
Tell me the truth.	tell + person + something
He told us a story.	tell + person + something
Don't tell a lie.	fixed phrase with tell
Can you tell the time?	fixed phrase with tell
Tell me about your trip.	tell + person + about + topic

Good to know

⚠ Note

A common mistake is to put a person straight after say: not say me the answer but tell me the answer, or say the answer to me. Note the fixed phrases keep tell: tell a lie, tell the truth, tell the time, tell a story, tell a joke — never say a lie.