Guest Pipas Posted January 6, 2006 at 01:30 PM Report Share Posted January 6, 2006 at 01:30 PM Is it better to say 我告诉他 or 我对他说? What's the difference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted January 6, 2006 at 01:33 PM Report Share Posted January 6, 2006 at 01:33 PM I think the difference is about the same as that between "I tell him" and "I say to him". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipponman Posted January 8, 2006 at 02:49 PM Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 at 02:49 PM Like skylee said, not much difference here. I think another possible question is: is 我对他说 more broad than 我告诉他 ? For example you can say, 我告诉他我的名字 but you can't say (x) 我告诉他回家. You can say 我叫他回家 but can you say 我对他说回家? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pipas Posted January 8, 2006 at 04:22 PM Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 at 04:22 PM But my chinese friends always corrected me, when I tried to say, for example "我对他说我不会去" ---"我告诉他...." ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipponman Posted January 8, 2006 at 09:10 PM Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 at 09:10 PM Hmmm, I can't explain that. Maybe its usage is similar to that of the equivalent english expression. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quest Posted January 8, 2006 at 10:09 PM Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 at 10:09 PM But my chinese friends always corrected me, when I tried to say, for example "我对他说我不会去" ---"我告诉他...." ! I told him I won't go. vs. I said to him I won't go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amego Posted January 13, 2006 at 09:09 AM Report Share Posted January 13, 2006 at 09:09 AM But my chinese friends always corrected me, when I tried to say, for example "我对他说我不会去" ---"我告诉他...." ! you can also say "我跟他说/讲...." i said to him/i told him....simple, versatile and casual, in this case "我跟他说我不会去" is perfectly natural...but just one little note: this sentence can mean i told him i wouldn't be going, OR i told him i don't know how to go...but the context will settle it most of the time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pipas Posted January 13, 2006 at 10:57 AM Report Share Posted January 13, 2006 at 10:57 AM Can we say that "告诉" is a more colloquial form? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HashiriKata Posted January 13, 2006 at 11:38 AM Report Share Posted January 13, 2006 at 11:38 AM Can we say that "告诉" is a more colloquial form?No, both 说 and 告诉 are neutral and equally commonly used.As for the formal difference between 说 and 告诉, let's settle it this way: You 说 SOMETHING (but) You 告诉 SOMEONE So, just remember what is to come directly after them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterwelm Posted January 23, 2006 at 07:43 AM Report Share Posted January 23, 2006 at 07:43 AM Pipas is right. People(人们 ren2 men) are usually inclined to using shortest words/sentence to express his thought in everyday life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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