Hello everybody,
What is the difference between ‘speak’ and ‘talk’?
Ex: I want to speak to you.
I want to talk to you.
Thanks in advance!
Hi keokounila,
In very general terms speak is formal and talk is informal. In your example I want to speak to you would be a request to discuss something important or serious. You might note that someone who is giving a lecture in a public hall would be introduced as: Today’s speaker is the writer, XXXX.
The sentence: I want to talk to you suggests I want to have a chat or conversation with you.
Alan
1 Like
I got it now, Sir. Thank you very much indeed for your help! 
Hi Keokounila,
You might also want to read speak vs. talk.
Let me know what you think.
Best regards,
Torsten[YSaerTTEW443543]
TOEFL listening lectures: A lecture from a social sciences class (2)[YSaerTTEW443543]
What is the differense between “speak to” and “speak with”? I know that we say “speak to somebody about something”.
When one pickes up the phone what should he say? “To whom am I speaking?” “With whom am I speaking?”
Or they also tought us at school that it should be “Whom am I speaking with?”
And also what’s the rule of writing in the letter “To Whom It May Concerned:”
I would really appreciate, if somebody could answer me regarding that!!!
Thank you.
Svitlana
In most uses these combinations are interchangeable: “I spoke to/with her for only a few minutes”. In some cases, however, there may be slight differences: “Speak to” sounds a bit more one-sided, perhaps, than “speak with,” which suggests more give and take (more of a two-way conversation).
To Whom It May Concern (not concerned)
As an open document, not directed to a specific person, these letters are headed
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
and there is no direct greeting. The text follows without one.
There is also usually just the signature and no end salutation.
Hi everybody,
This essay makes me better understanding of uses in ‘speak’ and ‘talk’ such as ‘speak to’ , ‘speak with’, and ’ talk to’ . But I would to know more about them. Especially, I want to get an example of ’ speak up’ and whether I can use ‘talk with’ or not.
I am looking forward to seeing you here.
Many thanks,
Aungmoe
“Speak up” usually means to disclose something, especially if there is some perceived risk or difficulty associated with the revelation.
The students felt the teacher’s explanations were vague and misleading, and after a while, someone spoke up. The teacher considered their views and vastly improved her lessons. The students owe their good fortune to the one brave enough to speak up.
Hi Aungmoeimm,
‘Talk with’ can be used to mean have a conversation/chat with someone as in:
The President inspected the guard of honour lined up at the airport and talked with one or two of the soldiers.
‘Speak up’ can also mean speak in a louder voice as in:
Speak up please, we can’t hear what you’re saying at the back of the room.
Alan
To whom it may concern.
Thanks a lot to all the people herein. I learned a lot about the difference between “Talk and Speak”, How to use them in sentences etc.
Thanks once again to all of you.
Regards
Noren
Respected Alan Sir,
Your essays are worth reading again & again. Well, There is a change in my Forum user name. It is Noren not DINEL. Thank you very much for your friendly help & support.
Regards
Noren
I use this email: noren30@gmail.com instead of dinel_drn@wlink.com.np
Please I like to understand the expression for instance somebody gives a direction and says you “double back” on the other street?
If you double back, then you turn around and go back the same way as you came.
I say you are more talked to him, and not more spoke to him
I had talked to him and I you they had spoken to him.
For me even I had learned English grammar, but I see the English language is sense and balance something is possible and other is not.
I can say for example; please speake to him or talk him about the matter.
So speak as I thougt is physical property of the speech and talk is concern with conversation or articulation.
Sometimes we can say speaker or spokenman or spken woman , but not talkerman or talkerwoman.
We say the speaker of their tongue said not their talker.
that is a bit of information I had known and the little is sometimes better than nothing.
hello
I didn’t speak nor did I talk. But, I wrote my request. And, it was considered. Thanks to Alan Sir, from the depths of my heart.
Yours
Noren
In addition to the good advice you have already had, it’s worth remembering that talk is also a noun, as in “I want to have a talk with you”. Speak cannot be used like that.
dear all, thanks a lot for everything here, I learn so much with you…
Hello Everybody,
All times I speak with my family, It is a formal conversation.
With my friends I talk, It is an informal conversation.
I continued talking to Juan after I left the meeting.
Regards,
Edgar
I think it is right as Mr. Alan said, but how can a person will be able to differ between the formal and informal speech since most dictionaries didn’t well mention that, so I belive learning languages depend on hearing it is no grammatical rules will be 100% with no mistake and everyday or let me say every year new thought will rise, yes let me say the essentail will be permanent and will be as something was agreed by all people and let me now ask question: I have read in a famous book by a famous writer ( Author ) whose name is Querck who is wellknown and consider the top of grammarian for genitive he has mentioned as this example : The lion’s hunger.
usually we say : the hunger of the lion ( of construction ) and as said in British they consider the lion as a higer animal and for example for cat or another weak animal they didn’t use the same method in genitive.
Now this question for you or especially for Mr. Alan to answer it?