Explanation
1. Error source
Error Source.
Say and Tell have more or less the same meanings and the use of the two words is extremely idiomatic. It is therefore not surprising to find learners having trouble with these two words. The Germans often use say where an English speaker would use tell.
The German sagen to say is used in many expressions which in English take tell.
For example:
to tell the truth die Wahrheit sagen
to tell the difference den Unterschied sagen
to tell the time die Uhrzeit sagen
to tell a secret ein Geheimnis sagen
The above examples are all idiomatic expressions and it is advisable for learners to learn them by heart. More idiomatic expressions where tell is used instead of say include.
to tell a lie
to tell somebody's fortune
to tell the time
to tell people your name
to tell a story
to tell the future
Idiomatic expressions with say include:
to say or recite a poem
to say a word
to say a sentence
to say what you think
to say thank you
to say goodbye
to say hello
Difference in Meaning:
To tell: to communicate a thought, information, command, message to some listener. (The German erzählen, to narrate could translate the idea of telling but only in few situations like telling a story)
To say: simply speaking (listener or no listener), just opening of the mouth and letting out words at some audible level.
The indirect object
Germans like grammatical rules so I hope they could understand this hard and fast rule. Tell is often followed by the indirect object.
For example:
Tell Claus something. (Claus- indirect object something- direct object)
Tell me a story. ( me-indirect object a story-direct object)
Tell them your name. (them- indirect object your name- direct object)
Tell the teacher what you did.
Tell us etc.
Wrong: Right.
Say me your problem Tell me your problem.
Say us Tell us
Wrong Right
Say him Tell him
Say them Tell them
Say the teacher Tell the teacher
Say the children Tell the children
Say in Reported speech:
Say is used mostly to report what somebody said.
For example:
She says, “ I am a teacher.“
She said that she was a teacher.
The journalist said that there was a strike at the airport.
The man said that he was hungry.
The girl said that she was thirsty.
But NOTE:
Use tell if you want to report that what was said was directed to you or someone else.
She told me that she was a teacher.
The journalist told the public that there was a strike at the airport.
The man told us that he was hungry.
Note the indirect object in the three examples . The indirect object is aways a good indicator for the use of tell even in reported speech.