Explanation

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.