"tell you" vs "say you"

Question

"tell you" vs "say you"

Both 'say you' and 'tell you' are correct phrases, but they are used in different contexts. 'Say you' is used when quoting someone or giving an example, while 'tell you' is used when informing or instructing someone. They are not interchangeable.

Last Updated: March 21, 2024

Use 'tell you' when you want to inform or instruct someone about something. It is often followed by information or instructions.

Examples:

Let me tell you a story.
I need to tell you something important.

Alternatives:

Inform you
Advise you
Notify you
Share with you
Reveal to you

Use 'say you' when you want to quote someone directly or give an example. It is often followed by a statement or a question.

Examples:

Say you were in my shoes, what would you do?
He said you were the best student in the class.

Alternatives:

For example, you
Imagine you
Consider you
Suppose you
Assume you

Answer 1

tell you

This phrase is correct when informing or instructing someone.

Answer 2

say you

This phrase is correct when used to quote someone or give an example.

"tell you" vs "say you"

tell you

say you

Related Comparisons