tell

dire, raccontare

Comunicare informazioni a qualcuno parlando o scrivendo.

In inglese semplice: To give someone information by speaking or writing.

• Tell me your name.
• She told us a funny story.
• Did he tell you what happened?

Come si usa: tell someone something (Please tell me the answer.); tell someone that… (He told me that the shop was closed.); tell someone about something (She told us about her trip.)

Sinonimi: inform

Espressioni comuni: tell someone something, tell the truth, tell a story

dire, ordinare

Dire a qualcuno che deve fare qualcosa.

In inglese semplice: To say that someone must do something.

• Tell him to wait.
• My teacher told me to sit down.
• Who told you to open that door?

Come si usa: tell someone to do something (She told us to leave.); tell someone not to do something (Dad told me not to touch the pan.)

Sinonimi: order, instruct, direct

Espressioni comuni: tell someone to, tell someone not

fare la spia, denunciare

Riferire il cattivo comportamento di qualcuno a una persona che può punirlo.

In inglese semplice: To report someone’s bad behavior to a person who can punish them.

• Please do not tell!
• He told on his sister for breaking the window.
• If you cheat again, I will tell the teacher.

Come si usa: tell on someone (He threatened to tell on us.)

Sinonimi: report, inform

Espressioni comuni: tell on someone, tell the teacher

determinare, calcolare

Stabilire un numero, una quantità o l’ora.

In inglese semplice: To work out a number, an amount, or the time.

• Can you tell the time?
• She learned to tell time on an old clock.
• All told, we collected two hundred pounds.

Sinonimi: determine, count

Espressioni comuni: tell the time, tell time, all told

spiegare, raccontare

In un racconto, esporre direttamente i fatti anziché farli capire attraverso azioni o descrizioni.

In inglese semplice: To state facts directly in a story instead of letting actions or descriptions make them clear.

• This paragraph tells the reader that Anna is lonely.
• The narrator tells us how the brothers feel.
• Try showing his anger instead of telling the reader about it.

Sinonimi: explain, state

Contrari: show

Espressioni comuni: tell the reader, tell rather than show