说 vs 告诉 (shuō vs gàosu): to say or to tell
The key difference is that 告诉 always requires a person as the listener (tell someone), while 说 can be used without specifying a listener. Use 告诉 when you have a specific recipient in mind; use 说 for general speaking or when the listener is not mentioned.
Both 说 (shuō) and 告诉 (gàosu) mean to communicate information verbally, but they differ in structure and focus. 说 emphasizes the act of speaking or the content itself, and it can be used with or without a listener. 告诉 emphasizes informing a specific person, so the recipient must always be stated. Understanding this distinction helps choose the correct verb for natural Chinese sentences.
When to use each
Use 说 to express the act of speaking, quoting someone, or stating information without necessarily specifying a listener. It can introduce direct speech (e.g., 他说：“你好。”) or indirect speech (e.g., 他说他很忙). It is also used in fixed expressions like 说话 (to talk) and 说明 (to explain).
Use 告诉 when you want to inform or tell something to a specific person. The recipient must be stated as an object directly after 告诉, followed by the information (e.g., 告诉我一个秘密). It cannot be used without a listener, and it typically introduces indirect speech rather than direct quotes.
At a glance
| 说 | 告诉 | |
|---|---|---|
| Requires a listener | No (optional) | Yes (mandatory) |
| Can introduce a direct quotation | Yes | No (usually indirect) |
| Common sentence structure | 说 + (content) | 告诉 + person + content |
| Can be used alone | Yes (e.g., 你说) | No (needs person) |
| Requires a preposition before listener | Yes (e.g., 对…说) | No (direct object) |
Examples
- 说他说：“你好。”Tā shuō: “Nǐ hǎo.”He said, “Hello.”Direct quote; no listener required.
- 告诉他告诉我一个秘密。Tā gàosu wǒ yī gè mìmì.He told me a secret.Requires recipient (我).
- 说你说什么？Nǐ shuō shénme?What did you say?No specific listener; general question.
- 告诉我告诉你了，不要迟到。Wǒ gàosu nǐ le, bùyào chídào.I told you, don't be late.Recipient (你) is essential.
- 说他对我说他很忙。Tā duì wǒ shuō tā hěn máng.He said to me he is busy.With preposition 对 to add listener; not needed for 告诉.
Common mistakes
- Using 说 instead of 告诉 when a recipient is needed: ✗ “我说他一个消息” → ✓ “我告诉他一个消息”
- Using 告诉 without a recipient: ✗ “他告诉” is incomplete → must say “他告诉我” or similar
- Using 说 in contexts where informing a specific person is key: “他说我开会时间” is ambiguous → better “他告诉我开会时间”
- Wrong word order with 告诉: ✗ “他告诉那个消息我” → ✓ “他告诉我那个消息”
FAQ
- When do I use 说 vs 告诉?
- Use 说 when the listener is not important or not specified. Use 告诉 when you need to specify the person being told — the recipient must appear as an object.
- Can I use 说 with a person after it?
- Yes, but you need a preposition like 对 (对某人说) or 跟 (跟某人说) to indicate the listener. For example, “他对我说” means “he said to me”. 告诉 does not need a preposition; the person is a direct object.
- Is 告诉 more formal than 说?
- No, both are neutral and commonly used in daily conversation. 说 is more versatile and frequent, but 告诉 is the standard way to express ‘tell someone something’.