LA GRAMMATICA DI ENGLISH GRATIS

TO TELL - TO SAY

He told his friend he was tired.
He said he was tired.

Sia to tell che to say significano dire, ma vengono usati in modo diverso.

Tell - told - told

Significato

Esempio

Raccontare To tell a story
(Raccontare una storia)
To tell a joke
(Raccontare una barzelletta)

Dire, quando viene espressa la persona a cui si parla.
Si costruisce nel seguente modo:
Dire qualcosa a qualcuno
To tell someone something
(La costruzione to tell something to someone è corretta ma meno comune.)

Alcune espressioni idiomatiche di uso quotidiano:

Tell me: dimmi, come introduzione di una frase più lunga

I told you so: te l'avevo detto

I tell you: credimi, te lo dico io

I told you a thousand times: te l'ho già detto un'infinità di volte

Mark told his friend he was tired.
(Mark disse al suo amico che era stanco.)

So, tell me, what did he say?
(Allora, dimmi, che cosa ha detto?)
Go ahead, tell me!
(Dai, dimmi tutto!)

I tell you, that guy is crazy!
(Credimi, quello è matto!)

Si usa il verbo to tell nelle seguenti espressioni, anche se non viene espressa la persona a cui si parla:
To tell the time: dire/leggere l'ora

To tell a lie:dire una bugia

To tell the truth: dire la verità

To tell off: sgridare

To tell the difference: dire la differenza

He can't tell the time yet.
(Non sa ancora leggere l'ora.)
Don't tell lies! (Non dire bugie!)

Tell me the truth. (Dimmi la verità.)

He told the child off. (Sgridò il bambino.)

I can't tell the difference between the two versions.
(Non so dire la differenza fra le due versioni.)

Say - said - said

Significato

Esempio

Dire, quando non è espressa la persona a cui si parla.
Se viene espressa la persona a cui si parla, questa è preceduta dalla preposizione to. (In questo caso, tuttavia, si preferisce usare to tell.) He said he was tired.
(Disse che era stanco.)
What did you say to him?/what did you tell him? (Che cosa gli hai detto?)

Si usa to say nelle seguenti espressioni:
To say hello/goodbye: salutare

To say yes/no: dire di si/no

That is to say: cioè

To say sorry: chiedere scusa

He left without saying goodbye.
(Se ne andò senza salutare)
She said yes.
(Disse di si.)

Costruzione passiva di to say e to tell

To say e to tell possono essere utilizzati in una costruzione passiva in cui la persona a cui viene detto qualcosa o la persona di cui si parla è il soggetto della frase. Questa costruzione consente di evitare le frasi impersonali e le frasi in cui manca un soggetto concreto (in inglese è sempre preferibile scegliere le costruzioni in cui è presente un soggetto concreto).

Si dice che lei sia una bravissima insegnante.

Si dice è una costruzione impersonale, perché manca un soggetto concreto (chi lo dice?).

In inglese si può usare la costruzione passiva del verbo to say, in cui il soggetto è la persona di cui si parla:

She is said to be a very good teacher.

Mi dissero di aspettare.

In questa frase manca un soggetto concreto (chi me lo ha detto?).

In inglese si può utilizzare la costruzione passiva del verbo to tell, in cui io diventa soggetto:

I was told to wait.

1. ESERCIZIO SULL'USO DI TO SAY E TO TELL BEGINNERS GB

Complete the sentences with the correct form of "to say" or "to tell"
Puoi scrivere le tue risposte nelle caselle di testo (attenzione: non vengono memorizzate!)
Per vedere le risposte corrette, seleziona con il mouse lo spazio bianco dopo il simbolo ♥
Se vuoi ulteriori spiegazioni, chiedicele utilizzando la sezione interattiva DISQUS più sotto

1) They    that he was ill.
♥ They said (OPPURE they say) that he was ill.
2) Can you    me the time, please?
♥ Can you tell me the time, please?
3) She    , “My name’s Helen.”
♥ She said, “My name’s Helen.”
4) What did you    your mother?
♥ What did you tell your mother?
5)    me about your new job. Do you like it?
♥ Tell me about your new job. Do you like it?
6) Last night Peter    me something about his future plans.
♥ Last night Peter told me something about his future plans.
7) He    that he hasn’t done his homework.
♥ He says (OPPURE he said) that he hasn’t done his homework.
8) They always    that when they are late.
♥ They always say that when they are late.
9) Could you    us your name, please?
♥ Could you tell us your name, please?
10)    me the truth!
♥ Tell me the truth!

2. ESERCIZIO SULL'USO DI TO SAY E TO TELL INTERMEDIATE GB145

1) It is that Mary is engaged to Tom.
♥ It is said that Mary is engaged to Tom.
2) I asked him to help me and he he would.
♥ I asked him to help me and he said he would.
3) Please me the truth. What happened last night?
♥ Please tell me the truth. What happened last night?
4) What did you Sam? He looks nervous.
♥ What did you tell Sam? He looks nervous.
5) After goodbye he left with his friend.
♥ After saying goodbye he left with his friend.
6) I to be silent.
♥ I was told to be silent.
7) He he hated pizza when he was young.
♥ He said he hated pizza when he was young.
8) I asked her but she she didn’t know the answer.
♥ I asked her but she said she didn’t know the answer.
9) I I was sorry about the unhappy situation.
♥ I said I was sorry about the unhappy situation.
10) Samuel that his girlfriend had had an accident.
♥ Samuel said that his girlfriend had had an accident.

3. ESERCIZIO DI ABBINAMENTO ADVANCED GB146

Match the words in the first column to those in the second one
Puoi scrivere le tue risposte nelle caselle di testo (attenzione: non vengono memorizzate!)
Per vedere le risposte corrette, seleziona con il mouse lo spazio bianco dopo il simbolo ♥
Se vuoi ulteriori spiegazioni, chiedicele utilizzando la sezione interattiva DISQUS più sotto

Column 1	Column 2
1. I’M GOING TO TELL YOU	SHE’S TIRED
2. THEY SAY THAT TOM	A VERY STRANGE THING
3. JULIA SAYS	THAT SHE WANTED TO MARRY SAM?
4. SAY SORRY	HAS LEFT ITALY
5. WASN’T IT LINDA WHO SAID	MEANS “CIOÈ ”
6. THAT IS TO SAY	FOR WHAT HAPPENED LAST MONDAY
7. HE MUSTN’T TELL ME	ME A STORY BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP
8. HE SAID HE WAS HUNGRY	ME YOU’RE NOT IN LOVE WITH HER
9. TELL	AND WANTED SOMETHING TO EAT
10. MUM, TELL	WHAT TO DO

1.
♥ I’m going to tell you a very strange thing.
2.
♥ They say that Tom has left Italy.
3.
♥ Julia says she’s tired.
4.
♥ Say sorry for what happened last Monday.
5.
♥ Wasn’t it Linda who said that she wanted to marry Sam?
6.
♥ “That is to say” means “cioè”.
7.
♥ He mustn’t tell me what to do.
8.
♥ He said he was hungry and wanted something to eat.
9.
♥ Tell me you’re not in love with her.
10.
♥ Mum, tell me a story before I go to sleep.