Say, Tell, and Other Reporting Verbs

What you’ll learn

Choose reporting verbs and their complement patterns.

ជ្រើសកិរិយាសព្ទរាយការណ៍ និងលំនាំដែលត្រឹមត្រូវ។

Meaning and use

Say and tell differ in object patterns. Other reporting verbs add meaning: promise commits the speaker, warn signals danger, and suggest proposes an idea. Learn each complement pattern. Suggest commonly takes an -ing form or a that-clause, not a person followed by to-infinitive.

កិរិយាសព្ទរាយការណ៍មានលំនាំខុសៗគ្នា។ Say to someone ខុសពី tell someone។ Suggest អាចតាមដោយ -ing ឬ that-clause ប៉ុន្តែមិនប្រើ suggest someone to do ក្នុងអង់គ្លេសស្តង់ដារទេ។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Say / tell	say something to someone / tell someone something
Suggest / promise	suggest doing / suggest that…; promise to do

Examples

1. She said hello to the guests.

   នាងបាននិយាយសួស្ដីភ្ញៀវ។

2. He told me the truth.

   គាត់បានប្រាប់ការពិតមកខ្ញុំ។

3. Maly suggested taking a break.

   ម៉ាលីបានស្នើឱ្យសម្រាកបន្តិច។

4. Dara promised to return the book.

   ដារ៉ាបានសន្យាថានឹងយកសៀវភៅមកសង។

Everyday conversation

Dara: What did Maly suggest?

Maly: She suggested meeting earlier to avoid traffic.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
He told that he was tired.	He said that he was tired.	Without a person object, use said in this pattern.
She suggested me to wait.	She suggested that I wait.	Suggest does not take person + to-infinitive in standard English.

Practice

Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Complete: He ___ me that the meeting was cancelled. (said/told)
2. Correct: She suggested to go by bus.
3. Report a commitment using promise: I will help tomorrow, Dara said.

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. told

   Tell takes the person object me.

2. She suggested going by bus.

   Suggest commonly takes an -ing complement.

3. Dara promised to help the next day.

   Promise conveys a commitment; the time expression follows the reporting context.

Quick recap

• Say / tell: say something to someone / tell someone something
• Suggest / promise: suggest doing / suggest that…; promise to do