Speak vs talk
For conversations, speak is a little more formal and talk is the everyday word. Speak is the usual verb for languages and for addressing an audience: speak French, speak at a meeting. Only talk is a noun meaning a conversation or speech.
You can have a talk or give a talk, but you can't have a speak.
speak verb
To use your voice to say words out loud, or to give a speech to a group.
- My throat hurt so much that I could hardly speak.
- The mayor will speak at the town meeting tonight.
talk verb
To share ideas or feelings with someone using words, usually by speaking.
- We talked for hours about our favorite movies.
- You can always talk to me when something is wrong.
Watch out
- Talk is also a common noun: a talk is a conversation, often a serious one, or a speech, and talks are formal meetings, like peace talks. Speak is never a noun with these meanings.After dinner, Dad and I had a long talk about college.
- Both words can mean having a conversation with someone, so speak to and talk to both work, with speak to a little more formal. For a language you know, speak is the usual word.Many people in the region speak both French and Arabic.
- Talk can also mean gossip. As a verb, it means to spread stories about other people's private lives. As a noun, with no a and no plural, it means rumor: things people are saying that are often not proven.The talk around town was that the factory would close.
Test yourself
The professor gave a blank on Roman history.
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talk. After gave a, you need a noun. Talk can be a noun meaning a speech, but speak cannot.
Can I blank to you for a minute about the project?
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Either. Both mean having a conversation here. Talk is the everyday word, and speak is a little more formal.
Many people in the city blank both English and Spanish.
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speak. For the languages a person knows, speak is the usual, standard verb. Talk is sometimes used this way in casual speech.
If you two are seen together, people will blank.
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talk. Here it means people will spread stories about you. Talk has this gossip meaning, but speak does not.