说话 vs 告诉 (shuōhuà vs gàosu): to talk vs to tell
说话 means 'to speak' or 'to talk' and focuses on the act of producing speech, often without specifying what is said or to whom. 告诉 means 'to tell' and requires both a listener and the information being conveyed, making it a transitive verb that takes an indirect object (person) and a direct object (message).
The verbs 说话 (shuōhuà) and 告诉 (gàosu) both involve speech but differ in transitivity and focus. 说话 is intransitive—it describes the act of speaking or talking, without necessarily specifying the content or the hearer. It can be used with prepositions like 跟 (gēn, with) or 对 (duì, to) to indicate the listener, but it cannot take a direct object of the message. 告诉 is transitive—it always takes both an indirect object (the person being told) and a direct object (the thing told). When you want to transfer specific information to someone, use 告诉; when you simply refer to the activity of speaking, use 说话.
When to use each
Use 说话 to describe the general action of speaking, whether alone, in a conversation, or addressing someone. It cannot take a direct object like a story or fact—use it for the act itself, not for conveying specific content.
Use 告诉 when you want to convey information to a specific person. It requires both an indirect object (the recipient) and a direct object (the information, which can be a noun, clause, or quote). Common patterns: 告诉 + 人 + 事/话 or 告诉 + 人 + [clause].
告诉 can sound direct or one-way; for a more conversational 'tell someone about something', you might use 跟...说 (gēn...shuō) instead, but 告诉 is standard for factual reporting.
At a glance
| 说话 | 告诉 | |
|---|---|---|
| Transitivity | Intransitive (cannot take a direct object of the message) | Transitive (always takes both indirect and direct object) |
| Object (what is said) | Cannot directly take a noun phrase like 'a story' or 'news' | Always takes a direct object: noun, clause, or quoted speech |
| Listener | Expressed with preposition 跟/对 (e.g., 跟我说话 'talk with me') | Expressed as indirect object without preposition (e.g., 告诉我 'tell me') |
| Negation | 不/没说话 (bù/méi shuōhuà) | 没告诉 + 人 + 事 (méi gàosu + person + thing) |
| Can it be used without a listener? | Yes (e.g., 他在说话 'He is talking') | No; indirect object is required or implied |
Examples
- 说话他在跟朋友说话。Tā zài gēn péngyou shuōhuà.He is talking with a friend.说话 used with 跟 to indicate the listener, no specific message given.
- 说话请别说话。Qǐng bié shuōhuà.Please don't talk.说话 used alone as the act of speaking.
- 告诉他告诉我一个好消息。Tā gàosu wǒ yī gè hǎo xiāoxi.He told me a piece of good news.告诉 + indirect object (我) + direct object (好消息).
- 告诉妈妈告诉我明天要下雨。Māma gàosu wǒ míngtiān yào xià yǔ.Mom told me it will rain tomorrow.告诉 + indirect object + a clause as direct object.
- 说话✗他说话我一件事情。Tā shuōhuà wǒ yī jiàn shìqíng.He talked me a thing. (incorrect)✗ Wrong: 说话 cannot take direct and indirect objects. Should use 告诉.
Common mistakes
- Using 说话 when you need to convey specific information: '他说话我一个故事' → should be '他告诉我一个故事'.
- Using 告诉 without an indirect object: '他告诉一个消息' (missing the person told) → should be '他告诉了我一个消息'.
- Using 告诉 when you just mean 'speak' in general: '他正在告诉' (no listener/content) → should be '他正在说话'.
- Confusing negation patterns: '我没告诉他' is 'I didn't tell him', but '我没说话' means 'I didn't speak' – they are not interchangeable.
FAQ
- When do I use 说话 vs 告诉?
- Use 说话 to refer to the act of speaking or talking, without specifying what is said. Use 告诉 when you want to tell someone specific information; you must include the person and the message.
- Can 说话 take a direct object like 'story' or 'news'?
- No, 说话 is intransitive. To express 'tell a story', use 讲 (jiǎng) or 告诉 (with indirect object). For example, '讲一个故事' (tell a story) or '告诉孩子一个故事' (tell the child a story).
- How do I say 'talk to someone' in Chinese?
- Use 跟/对 + person + 说话. For example, '跟我说话' (talk to me). If you mean 'tell someone something', use 告诉 + person + something.
- Is it possible to use 告诉 without a direct object?
- No, 告诉 is transitive and usually requires a direct object (the information). In some contexts, the object can be implied if clear from dialogue, but it is always grammatically needed.