Difference Between TALK, SPEAK, SAY in Japanese

What is the difference between “talk”, “speak” and “say” in Japanese? I’d say you might have been getting confused in using “話はなす”, “喋しゃべる” and “言いう”. And the way to use them might have been complicated. Let me introduce how you correctly use “話はなす”, “喋しゃべる” and “言いう” today!

話はなす

Talk

“話はなす” means “Talk” and when using “話はなす”, someone needs a person who is listening to what he/she is talking about and a person is also talking to him/her with each other. The tip for using it is that when using “話はなす” is necessary “A PERSON someone is talking to”. That is the most difference between them.

Example

ゆか
昨日きのう、親友しんゆうと電話でんわで話はなしたよ。 (I talked with my best friend on the phone yesterday.) (昨天我和好朋友通了电话。) (어제, 친구랑 전화했어.) (Hôm qua tớ đã gọi điện với bạn thân đấy.)

たつや今いま彼女かのじょと話はなしてるから、後あとでいい？ (I’m talking with my girlfriend so can it wait?）(我现在在和她说话，等会儿好吗？) (지금 여자친구랑 얘기 중이니까, 나중에 하면 안 될까?) (Tớ đang nói chuyện với bạn gái, để lát được không?)

ゆか
オリンピックについて話はなそうよ！ (Let’s talk about Olympics.）(我们来谈谈奥运会吧！) (올림픽에 대해 말해 보자!) (Mình nói chuyện về Thế vận hội đi!)

喋しゃべる

Speak

“喋しゃべる” means “Speak” and “喋しゃべる” is often used as something one-side situations which are speeches, languages, etc. A person who is listening to what he/she is speaking however who isn’t talking to him/her with each other, unlike “話はなす”, just listening to. The tip for using it is “although there is a person, it is one-side situations” which means the others listening to what someone is speaking.

Example

もう少すこしゆっくり喋しゃべれますか？ (Could you speak more slowly?) (你能说慢点儿吗？) (조금 더 천천히 말해 줄 수 있어요?) (Bạn có thể nói chậm hơn một chút được không?)

LISTENING COURSE Sample 　
Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

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弟おとうとは４ヶ国語よんかこくごを喋しゃべれるよ。 (My younger brother can speak four languages.) (我弟弟会说四国语言呢。) (동생은 4개 국어를 말할 수 있어.) (Em trai tớ có thể nói được 4 thứ tiếng đó.)

教頭先生きょうとうせんせいは地球温暖化ちきゅうおんだんかについて喋しゃべりました。 (A vice‐principal spoke about global warming.) (教导主任说了有关全球暖化的事。) (교감 선생님은 지구 온난화에 대해 얘기하셨어요.) (Thầy hiệu trưởng đã nói về sự nóng lên toàn cầu.)

言いう

Say

“言いう” means “Say” which isn’t necessarily a person unlike “話はなす” and “喋しゃべる”. Someone is just saying something. The tip for using “言いう” is to pay attention to “what someone said”.

Example

ゆか
えっ？何なんて（言いったの)？ (What? What did you say?) (啊？什么？) (뭐? 뭐라고?) (Hả? Nói cái gì cơ?)

たつや
今日きょうさぁ、好すきな子こが俺おれに「おはよう」って、言いったんだ。 (Today,  the girl who I have a crush on said ”Good morning” to me.) (今天呢，我喜欢的人对我说“早上好”。) (오늘 있잖아, 좋아하는 아이가 ‘안녕’ 하고 인사해 줬어.) (Hôm nay ấy, cái bạn mà tớ thích đã nói ”Chào buổi sáng” với tớ.)

ゆか
店員てんいんは何なにも言いわなかったよ。 (The clerk didn’t say anything to me.) (店员什么都没说。) (점원은 아무 말도 안 했어.) (Nhân viên quán đâu có nói gì đâu.)