Dire vs Parler
In French, dire and parler both relate to speech but serve different functions: dire focuses on what is expressed while parler focuses on the act of speaking or the language used.
Dire
Use dire to report specific utterances, to convey messages, or when mentioning exact or indirect speech. Dire can be followed by a clause, a quotation, or an indirect object.
Examples
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🗣️ « Il m'a dit qu'il arriverait en retard. » | He told me he would arrive late. |
| 📝 « Elle a dit la vérité au juge. » | She told the truth to the judge. |
| 📢 « Le maire a dit quelques mots à la foule. » | The mayor said a few words to the crowd. |
| 💬 « On m'a dit que le restaurant était fermé. » | I was told that the restaurant was closed. |
| 🎙️ « Le journaliste a dit ce que le témoin a déclaré. » | The journalist said what the witness stated. |
Expressions
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🗨️ « Dire son nom » | To say one’s name |
| 🔍 « Dire la vérité » | To tell the truth |
| 🤐 « Ne rien dire » | To say nothing |
| 📣 « Dire quelque chose » | To say something |
| 🧾 « Dire des mensonges » | To tell lies |
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Parler
Use parler to emphasize the act of speaking, to mention the language someone uses, or to discuss more general communication. Parler is often followed by a preposition like à or de, or by the name of a language.
Examples
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🗨️ « Elle parle trois langues. » | She speaks three languages. |
| 🗣️ « Nous parlons souvent de voyage. » | We often talk about travel. |
| ☎️ « Il a parlé longtemps avec son ami. » | He talked for a long time with his friend. |
| 🧑🏫 « Le professeur parle aux étudiants. » | The teacher speaks to the students. |
| 🎉 « Ils parlent de la fête de samedi. » | They are talking about Saturday’s party. |
Expressions
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🔊 « Parler fort » | To speak loudly |
| 🤫 « Parler à voix basse » | To speak quietly |
| 🗣️ « Parler en public » | To speak in public |
| 💬 « Parler de quelque chose » | To talk about something |
| 🗨️ « Se parler » | To talk to each other |
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Summary
In short, use dire when focusing on the content of what was said and parler when focusing on the act of speaking, the interlocutor, or the language. Paying attention to these nuances will make your French sound more natural.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025