All German word comparisons · Back to the topic overview
Meaning, sentence patterns and examples
| Word | Core meaning | Typical context | Grammar |
|---|---|---|---|
| sagen | say; tell a fact | a statement or short message | jemandem etwas sagen |
| erzählen | tell; recount | an experience, story or information | jemandem etwas erzählen |
| sprechen | speak; talk | languages; conversations | mit + dative; über + accusative |
| reden | talk; speak | conversation; discussing a subject | mit + dative; über + accusative |
sagen
Meaning and usage: Choose sagen to report a statement, give information or reproduce someone’s words. It does not require a long conversation. A dass-clause can supply the information instead of a noun object.
Grammar: Not separable; sagt–sagte–hat gesagt. The listener is dative and the information is accusative or a clause.
Kannst du mir sagen, wann der Kurs beginnt?
Can you tell me when the course starts?
erzählen
Meaning and usage: Erzählen suits recounting what happened and telling stories. It also means communicating personal information. A factual report can therefore be erzählt: it need not be fictional or entertaining.
Grammar: Inseparable er-; erzählt–erzählte–hat erzählt. Jemandem etwas erzählen; von + dative or über + accusative can introduce the subject.
Sie erzählt ihrem Bruder von ihrem ersten Arbeitstag.
She tells her brother about her first day at work.
sprechen
Meaning and usage: Sprechen describes producing speech, speaking a language, addressing someone or discussing a topic. It is natural in both everyday and formal settings; it is not exclusively formal.
Grammar: Not separable; spricht–sprach–hat gesprochen. Eine Sprache sprechen; mit jemandem sprechen; über etwas sprechen.
Ich spreche Deutsch, aber mit meiner Schwester spreche ich Englisch.
I speak German, but I speak English with my sister.
reden
Meaning and usage: Reden commonly describes talking, especially the activity of a conversation. It can also describe giving a speech. It is often interchangeable with sprechen when discussing an issue.
Grammar: Not separable; redet–redete–hat geredet. Mit jemandem reden; über etwas reden.
Wir haben lange über die neue Wohnung geredet.
We talked about the new apartment for a long time.
Overlap and context
Ich sage dir etwas identifies a message; ich rede mit dir identifies an interaction. Ich erzähle dir etwas may describe one short piece of information as well as a longer account. Avoid treating “speak is formal, talk is informal” as a fixed German rule. A doctor can reden, and friends can sprechen.
Common mistakes
- Do not translate “tell me” automatically as erzähl mich: the listener is mir.
- For ordinary language ability, say Ich spreche Deutsch, rather than using reden as your default.
- Avoid sprechen über dem Problem: über a topic takes the accusative.
Memory aid: Message: sagen. Account: erzählen. Speech or conversation: sprechen/reden.
Try it
Which verb is the standard choice? Ich ___ Spanisch und Deutsch.
Show the answer
spreche
Sprechen is the normal verb for speaking a language.