Sagen vs. erzählen vs. sprechen vs. reden
The German verbs sagen, erzählen, sprechen, and reden all relate to the act of communication, but they are not interchangeable. Each verb has a specific nuance, focusing on the content, the narrative, the physical act, or the conversational aspect of speaking.
Sagen
A1This is the most general verb, meaning to say or to tell. It focuses on the specific information or content being communicated. Use sagen for reporting facts, opinions, direct quotes, or short pieces of information.
Er hat gesagt, dass er später kommt.
(He said that he is coming later.)
Was hat die Lehrerin zu dir gesagt?
(What did the teacher say to you?)
Kannst du mir bitte die Uhrzeit sagen?
(Can you please tell me the time?)
Sag einfach die Wahrheit.
(Just say the truth.)
Ich wollte nur kurz Hallo sagen.
(I just wanted to quickly say hello.)
Erzählen
A2This verb means to tell, to narrate, or to recount. It is used for telling a longer, more detailed account of events, such as a story, a joke, or what happened during your day. It implies a narrative structure. While you can sagen a sentence, you erzählen a story.
Mein Opa erzählt gerne Geschichten aus seiner Jugend.
(My grandpa likes to tell stories from his youth.)
Erzähl mir alles, was auf der Party passiert ist!
(Tell me everything that happened at the party!)
Sie hat uns einen sehr lustigen Witz erzählt.
(She told us a very funny joke.)
Er erzählt oft von seinen Reisen.
(He often talks about his travels.)
Was du da erzählst, kann ich kaum glauben.
(I can hardly believe what you are telling me.)
Sprechen
A1This verb means to speak or to talk and emphasizes the physical or technical act of producing speech. It is often used in more formal contexts than reden. Use sprechen for the ability to speak, speaking languages, formal addresses, or having a serious conversation with someone.
Das Baby fängt an zu sprechen.
(The baby is starting to speak.)
Ich spreche drei Sprachen fließend.
(I speak three languages fluently.)
Ich muss dringend mit meinem Chef sprechen.
(I urgently need to speak with my boss.)
Der Bürgermeister wird heute zur Stadt sprechen.
(The mayor will speak to the city today.)
Können wir bitte über etwas anderes sprechen?
(Can we please talk about something else?)
Reden
B1This verb means to talk or to chat and focuses on the conversational and interactive aspect of speaking. It is generally more informal than sprechen. Use reden for casual conversations, discussions between people, or when describing the act of talking in general.
Wir haben die ganze Nacht geredet.
(We talked the whole night.)
Worüber redet ihr die ganze Zeit?
(What are you talking about all the time?)
Lass uns nachher in Ruhe darüber reden.
(Let's talk about it calmly later.)
Er redet immer nur über die Arbeit.
(He only ever talks about work.)
Mit dir kann man wirklich gut reden.
(One can really talk well with you.)
Summary
In short: Use sagen for reporting what was said (the content). Use erzählen for telling a story or a longer account (the narrative). Use sprechen for the ability to speak, for languages, and in more formal contexts (the act). Use reden for informal conversations and chats (the interaction).