Confer, discuss, dialogue and talk

Question

What´s the difference among confer, discuss, dialogue and talk, do they have any specific context to be used? Thanks.

Excellent question. - --Mariana--, Feb 21, 2013

¡Hola, Luis. :o)> - Jubilado, Feb 21, 2013

Hey, Jubilado! - luisssito, Feb 21, 2013

Answer 1

Good question.

Talk is just very generic. Can be used for anything, like hablar. Can be formal, or informal.

We were just talking about the weather yesterday.

Discuss is maybe a tiny bit more formal, and usually means talking about a specific issue or subject or topic. Not just fun, or aimless chat, like platiciar.

Let's discuss your behavior Hijo!

Confer is definitely still more formal. It implies 2 or more people are going to be discussing something, and one of them maybe learning something from the other, and then maybe reaching a decision together.

The two doctors wanted to confer on the best medicine for the patient before proceeding with the treatment.

hope that helps Roger

Thanks a lot!!!! - luisssito, Feb 21, 2013

Nice. - --Mariana--, Feb 21, 2013

Answer 2

Never use dialogue as a verb, it's a terrible consulting-type term, like 'to leverage'!

Agreed, maybe that's why I subconsciously skipped over it. Some use it as a verb, but it's ugly. Best saved for noun form, as Mariana exampled ;) - rogspax, Feb 21, 2013

True! - --Mariana--, Feb 21, 2013

¡Hola, Chévere! No te conocí antes, y estas de Bogotá. Estaba en Colombia el verano antepasado en julio. Si quisieras dame un mensaje personal para chalar un poco. - Jubilado, Feb 21, 2013

Mmm "it's a terrible consulting-type term!?? Anyway... "It is good to dialogue with friends about big decisions". (This is a sentence in "la palabra del día") - luisssito, Feb 21, 2013

Roger - urgh! - afowen, Feb 21, 2013

Luisssito - It is not good to 'dialogue' with anyone. It's an unnecessary and redundant verb form of a noun that adds nothing to the language. It's one of those pseudo-real words that management consultants love to use to give the impression of... - afowen, Feb 21, 2013

... intelligence and often superiority whilst demonstrating a paucity of vocabulary bolstered only by BS terminology. - afowen, Feb 21, 2013

Agree afowen. It sounds horrible. Me molesta también. - rogspax, Feb 21, 2013

Oks, it´s good to know! - luisssito, Feb 21, 2013

Answer 3

I agree with Rogspax.

A few more examples:

• "Confer" is sort of like short for "Conference." The group had to confer in order to discuss the new changes in the company.

• "Discuss" is the verb of "Discussion." I really want to discuss the family finances with you.

• "Dialogue" is more like the conversation in a play, movie, etc. The dialogue was so boring that I shut off the television.

• "Talk" can be a noun or verb. 1) I need to talk with you before tomorrow. 2) We need to have a serious talk before tomorrow.

Good ones, plus, unlike me, you didn't completely miss dialogue. - rogspax, Feb 21, 2013

Thanks a lot, Mariana! - luisssito, Feb 21, 2013

Answer 4

Confer - (discutir) / deliberar

Discuss - hablar, tratar de algo (con algn)

Discutieron de varios temas. / They discussed several subjects.

No quiero discutir (contigo). / I don’t want to argue (with you).

Dialogue - diálogo

He gave a talk on grammar. - Dio una charla sobre gramática.

Answer 5

discuss ? ? discutir (verb)

Slightly threadjacking, I´d come to believe that discutir was more like arguing. Is that not really right? Or is there at least carry a connotation of arguing? Or are discutir and to discuss truly identical?

You are right rogspax, "discutir is mostly used when arguing!! - luisssito, Feb 21, 2013

Maybe it has different meanings by geography. In Colombia, discutir means to argue. - afowen, Feb 21, 2013

Answer 6

The comparisons show the Spanish which are well-know to native Spanish speakers.

The responses are really good for more depth.

confer ? ? conferir (verb)
discuss ? ? discutir (verb)
dialogue ? ? el diálogo (noun)
talk ? ? hablar (verb)