Dire vs Parler – To Say vs To Speak
In French, dire and parler serve different functions: dire focuses on expressing specific words, while parler relates to speaking or conversing more generally. This guide breaks down each verb with examples to make the distinction clear.
Dire
Use dire when reporting exact phrases, giving information, or when mentioning what someone said. Dire can be followed by a clause introduced by que, by a person, or by an utterance.
Examples
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🗣️ « Je ne peux pas venir », a-t-elle dit. | "I can't come," she said. |
| 📝 Il a dit la date du rendez-vous. | He said the date of the meeting. |
| 📢 Ils ont dit « attention » avant le départ. | They said "watch out" before starting. |
| 🤐 Il n’a rien dit pendant la réunion. | He said nothing during the meeting. |
Expressions
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🗨️ Dire la vérité | To tell the truth |
| 🤫 Ne pas dire un mot | Not to say a word |
| 💬 Dire en plaisantant | To say jokingly |
| 🧾 Dire ses conditions | To state one’s terms |
| 🚨 Dire à l’alarme | To raise the alarm |
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Parler
Use parler to talk about the act of speaking, discussing topics, or conversing with someone. Parler is often followed by à (when indicating the person addressed) or de (when indicating the subject).
Examples
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🗣️ Elle parle trois langues. | She speaks three languages. |
| ☎️ Je parle au client maintenant. | I am speaking to the client now. |
| 🏢 Ils parlent souvent des projets. | They often talk about the projects. |
| 🎤 Il parlera au public demain. | He will speak to the audience tomorrow. |
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Summary
Dire focuses on reporting or expressing particular words, while parler deals with the more general act of speaking or communicating. Remember to pay attention to prepositions: parler à for the person and parler de for the topic.
Last updated: Tue Sep 16, 2025