Speak is the base verb for using your voice to communicate. It focuses on the act of talking, especially in a more formal, general, or ability sense. It does not usually emphasize a long conversation the way talk can.

Use speak for present time, habits, general facts, and future after will. It also appears after do and does in questions and negatives because the main verb stays in the base form. Speak is common with languages and in formal situations.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use for habits and general facts	✅ 用于习惯和一般事实	I speak softly in meetings.	📌 我在会议中说话声音很轻。
Use after do and does in negatives and questions	✅ 在否定句和疑问句中跟在 do 和 does 之后	Do you speak French?	📌 你会说法语吗？
Use after will for the future	✅ 在将来时跟在 will 之后	She will speak at the conference tomorrow.	📌 她明天将在会议上发言。
Common with languages and formal contexts	✅ 常用于语言和正式场合	He speaks Spanish at work.	📌 他在工作中说西班牙语。

Spoke is the simple past form of speak. Use it for completed actions at a specific past time. It often appears with time words like yesterday, last week, or in a clear past story sequence.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use for a finished past action	✅ 用于已完成的过去动作	I spoke to my manager yesterday.	📌 我昨天和我的经理谈过话。
Use in past narratives and sequences	✅ 用于过去叙述和顺序	She arrived, spoke briefly, and left.	📌 她到达了，简短地说了几句，然后离开了。
Common with specific past time markers	✅ 与具体过去时间标记常见	We spoke last night.	📌 我们昨晚谈过话。

Spoken is the past participle of speak. Use it with have or has for the present perfect and with had for the past perfect. Spoken is also used in passive voice and as an adjective meaning expressed by voice rather than written.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use with have and has in the present perfect	✅ 与 have 和 has 搭配用于现在完成时	I have spoken to her already.	📌 我已经和她说过话。
Use with had in the past perfect	✅ 与 had 搭配用于过去完成时	They had spoken before the meeting started.	📌 他们在会议开始前就已经谈过话。
Use in passive voice with be	✅ 与 be 搭配在被动语态中使用	English is spoken here.	📌 这里说的是英语。
Use as an adjective	✅ 作为形容词使用	This is a spoken agreement.	📌 这是一个口头协议。

Perfect tenses connect a past action to a later time. With speak, they often describe experience, completed actions with relevance now, or earlier past actions. Spoken is required in all perfect forms, not spoke.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use have or has plus spoken for life experience or recent completion	✅ 使用 have 或 has 搭配 spoken 来表示生活经历或最近完成	She has spoken to the client twice.	📌 她已经和客户谈过两次。
Use had plus spoken for an action earlier than another past event	✅ 使用 had 搭配 spoken 表示比另一过去事件更早的动作	I had spoken to him before I moved.	📌 我在我搬家之前就已经和他谈过话。
Do not use spoke after have, has, or had	✅ 在 have、has 或 had 之后不要使用 spoke	I have spoken, not I have spoke.	📌 I have spoken, not I have spoke.

Use spoken in passive voice to focus on the language or message rather than the speaker. This is common for languages, rules, and general statements about communication. The structure is a form of be plus spoken.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use be plus spoken to emphasize what is used or communicated	✅ 使用 be + spoken 以强调所使用或传达的内容	Spanish is spoken in many countries.	📌 西班牙语在许多国家被使用。
Use was or were plus spoken for past passive	✅ 使用 was 或 were 搭配 spoken 表示过去时的被动	It was spoken quietly to avoid attention.	📌 为了避免引起注意，被安静地说出。
Add by plus agent if needed	✅ 如有需要，加上 by 表示执行者	The announcement was spoken by the host.	📌 这个公告是由主持人发言的。

Speak often sounds more formal or focused on ability, speeches, and languages. Talk is more common for casual conversation and can suggest a longer exchange. Both can mean communicate, but their typical contexts differ.

Word/Phrase	🇨🇳 中文 单词/短语	Definition	🇨🇳 中文 定义	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
speak	🗣️ speak	use your voice in a formal or general way	🗣️ 以正式或一般的方式使用你的声音	She will speak at the event.	🗣️ She will speak at the event.
talk	💬 talk	have a conversation or informal exchange	💬 进行对话或非正式交流	We talked for an hour.	💬 We talked for an hour.
speak a language	🌍 speak a language	have ability in a language	🌍 在某语言方面有能力	He speaks Korean.	🌍 He speaks Korean.
speak to someone	🤝 speak to someone	address someone or contact someone	🤝 对某人讲话或联系某人	I need to speak to you.	🤝 I need to speak to you.

Speak appears in frequent structures that guide meaning. Speak to focuses on addressing a person. Speak about introduces a topic. Speak up means talk louder or express an opinion more strongly.

Word/Phrase	🇨🇳 中文 单词/短语	Definition	🇨🇳 中文 定义	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
speak to	🧑‍🤝‍🧑 speak to	address or contact a person	🧑‍🤝‍🧑 对某人讲话或联系某人	I spoke to the receptionist.	🧑‍🤝‍🧑 我和前台接待谈过话。
speak about	🧠 speak about	discuss a topic in a formal or clear way	🧠 以正式或明确的方式讨论一个话题	She spoke about climate policy.	🧠 She spoke about climate policy.
speak up	📢 speak up	speak louder or be more assertive	📢 大声说话或更坚定地表达意见	Please speak up, I cannot hear you.	📢 Please speak up, I cannot hear you.
speak at	🎙️ speak at	give a speech or presentation in a place or event	🎙️ 在某地或某活动上发表演讲或做报告	He spoke at the graduation.	🎙️ He spoke at the graduation.

Speak begins with an sp cluster and a long ee vowel. Spoke has a long oh vowel, and spoken has stress on the first syllable with a reduced second vowel. Clear vowel length helps distinguish the three forms in speech.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Description	🇨🇳 中文 描述	Notation	🇨🇳 中文 标记	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Initial cluster	🔤 初始簇	Keep s plus p together without adding a vowel	🔤 将 s 与 p 保持在一起，不再添加元音	sp-	🔤 sp-	speak	🔤 speak
Long ee in speak	🎵 speak 中的长 ee	The vowel is a long ee sound	🎵 该元音是长元音 ee 的音	iː	🎵 iː	speak	🎵 speak
Long oh in spoke	🎵 spoke 中的长 oh	The vowel is a long oh sound	🎵 该元音是长 oh 的音	oʊ	🎵 oʊ	spoke	🎵 spoke
Stress in spoken	📍 spoken 的重音	Stress the first syllable and weaken the second	📍 将重音放在第一音节，第二音节被弱化	ˈspoʊ kən	📍 ˈspoʊ kən	spoken	📍 spoken

Use speak for present and base form contexts, spoke for simple past, and spoken for perfect tenses, passive voice, and adjective use. These three forms cover most everyday needs for describing communication and language ability. Choosing the correct form mainly depends on whether you need past time, perfect aspect, or a passive structure.