Difference between "decir", "contar", "hablar" and so on.

Question

What's the difference between those words? I get that it is like "to say" vs. "to speak" in English, but it probably isn't exactly the same. So, how do I choose a word to use?

Welcome to the Q&A forum. It depends on what you want to say. - rac1, May 9, 2016

A vote for filling out your profile. Although you've received a good answer from Jack-OBrien with examples, it does help if you give examples of your own. - Jubilado, May 9, 2016

Answer 1

Decir= to say something The same way we use it in English Hablar= to speak, again the same way as in English Contar= to tell a story, a joke, something that requires elaborating etc.

Ex. Te conté lo que pasó con María? No, no me dijiste nada. Bueno, cuando hablemos mañana te cuento todo.

(Note a native speaker)

I like your example. - gringojrf, May 10, 2016

Answer 2

Maybe a couple examples would help?

• ¿Qué más? ¡Cuéntame! (What's going on? Tell me about it!) This is more in the sense of 'giving an account' of what is going on.
• Como tú decías (Like you were saying)
• ¡No me digas así! (Don't talk to me like that, don't speak to me like that)
• Ayer charlaba con Jim (Yesterday I was chatting with Jim)
• Mañana hablaremos (Tomorrow we'll talk)
• ¿Hablaste con él? (You talked with him)

As you can imagine, there are a ton of ways to expressing 'talking' or 'saying', these are just a few ideas. HTH

Well done! - gringojrf, May 9, 2016

Thank you :) - Jack-OBrien, May 9, 2016

Thank you, it helps a lot. Although, I was hoping for some kind of rule. - rasim, May 13, 2016

Answer 3

María me dijo que Carolina le contó eso de la tragedia de la gallina que cruzaba la calle. !Fricasé inmediato!

"María told me that Carolina told her about the chicken's tragic crossing of the road." Did the chicken cross the road in Hemingway's mind or Jack London's? In any case, se me agua a la boca.