sprechen vs sagen
German word comparison
Listen to sprechen
Listen to sagen
| sprechen | sagen |
|---|---|
SPRE-chen verb | /ˈzaːɡən/ verb |
| to speak; to talk; to say words aloud in order to communicate | to say; to state or utter particular words or a message |
How they differ
Sprechen refers to the act of speaking or to language ability, whereas sagen is about expressing specific content or words; sagen focuses on what is said (the message), not on the general act of speaking or on language competence.
When to use each
When to use sprechen: Prefer sprechen when describing the act of speaking, language skills, or neutral speech situations (Er spricht sehr deutlich).
When to use sagen: Prefer sagen when reporting speech, quoting someone, or focusing on the content of an utterance (Er sagte, er kommt später).
Side-by-side examples
- Sie spricht sehr deutlich.
(She speaks very clearly.) - Sie sagte, sie kommt später.
(She said she will come later.)
Register & nuance: Sagen is neutral and very common in everyday and formal contexts when reporting or stating information.