Definition of tell

tellverb

nói, nói với

/tɛl/

Definition of undefined

The word "tell" has its roots in Old English and Germanic languages. It is related to the Proto-Germanic word "taliz", which meant "to count" or "to recount". This is also connected to the Proto-Indo-European root "tll-" meaning "to count" or "to measure". In Old English, the word "tell" was spelled "tāllian" and meant "to count" or "to number". Over time, its meaning expanded to include "to recount" or "repeat a story" (as in "tell a tale"). By the 14th century, the verb "tell" had acquired its modern meaning, including the sense of conveying information or news. Interestingly, many languages, such as Dutch ("tellen"), German ("erzählen"), and Gothic ("talljan"), still retain the connection to counting and recounting. The evolution of the word "tell" highlights the complex and fascinating history of the English language!

give information

to give information to somebody by speaking or writing

cung cấp thông tin cho ai đó bằng cách nói hoặc viết

Example:
  • He told the news to everybody he saw.

    Anh ấy kể tin này cho tất cả những người anh ấy gặp.

  • He told everybody he saw the news.

    Anh ấy nói với mọi người rằng anh ấy đã xem tin tức.

  • Did she tell you her name?

    Cô ấy có cho bạn biết tên cô ấy không?

  • What did I tell you? (= you should have listened to my advice)

    Tôi đã nói gì với bạn? (= lẽ ra bạn nên nghe lời khuyên của tôi)

  • ‘Come closer,’ she said, ‘I want to tell you something’.

    “Hãy đến gần hơn,” cô ấy nói, “tôi muốn nói với bạn điều gì đó”.

  • Why wasn't I told about the accident?

    Tại sao tôi không được thông báo về vụ tai nạn?

  • They’ve told us (that) they’re not coming.

    Họ đã nói với chúng tôi (rằng) họ sẽ không đến.

  • I told him straight (= in a direct way) that I wasn't voting for him.

    Tôi đã nói thẳng với anh ấy (= một cách trực tiếp) rằng tôi không bỏ phiếu cho anh ấy.

  • He later told the court that he had returned the money.

    Sau đó anh ta nói với tòa rằng anh ta đã trả lại tiền.

  • I kept telling myself (that) everything was OK.

    Tôi liên tục nói với bản thân mình (rằng) mọi thứ đều ổn.

  • Are you telling me you didn't have any help with this? (= I don't believe what you have said)

    Bạn đang nói với tôi rằng bạn không có sự giúp đỡ nào trong việc này? (= Tôi không tin những gì bạn vừa nói)

  • Tell me where you live.

    Hãy cho tôi biết nơi bạn sống.

  • ‘I'm ready to go now,’ he told her.

    “Tôi đã sẵn sàng đi bây giờ,” anh nói với cô.

  • 'We hope that there will be some progress,' he told reporters.

    Ông nói với các phóng viên: “Chúng tôi hy vọng rằng sẽ có một số tiến bộ”.

Extra examples:
  • I tried to tell them but they wouldn't let me.

    Tôi đã cố nói với họ nhưng họ không cho tôi nói.

  • I was going to tell you—I just didn't get around to it.

    Tôi đang định nói với bạn—tôi chỉ chưa hiểu được điều đó.

  • I hate to tell you this but I've broken your phone.

    Tôi ghét phải nói với bạn điều này nhưng tôi đã làm hỏng điện thoại của bạn.

  • I never told him about the money.

    Tôi chưa bao giờ nói với anh ấy về số tiền đó.

  • No one had told her of the dangers.

    Không ai nói cho cô biết về sự nguy hiểm.

  • She told me bluntly it was my own fault.

    Cô ấy nói thẳng với tôi rằng đó là lỗi của tôi.

  • Did anyone tell you what happened?

    Có ai nói cho bạn biết chuyện gì đã xảy ra không?

  • The government refused to tell them anything about its investigation.

    Chính phủ từ chối cho họ biết bất cứ điều gì về cuộc điều tra của mình.

to give information about something

để cung cấp thông tin về một cái gì đó

Example:
  • The advertisement told us very little about the product.

    Quảng cáo cho chúng ta biết rất ít về sản phẩm.

  • This gauge tells you how much fuel you have left.

    Đồng hồ đo này cho bạn biết bạn còn lại bao nhiêu nhiên liệu.

  • The sound of his breathing told her (that) he was asleep.

    Tiếng thở của anh cho cô biết rằng anh đã ngủ.

express in words

to express something in words

để thể hiện một cái gì đó bằng lời nói

Example:
  • to tell stories/jokes/lies

    kể chuyện/đùa/dối trá

  • Are you sure you're telling the truth?

    Bạn có chắc mình đang nói sự thật không?

  • I can't tell you how happy I am.

    Tôi không thể nói cho bạn biết tôi hạnh phúc như thế nào.

  • We'd go fishing and she'd tell me stories.

    Chúng tôi đi câu cá và cô ấy kể cho tôi nghe những câu chuyện.

  • All of them had an interesting story to tell.

    Tất cả đều có một câu chuyện thú vị để kể.

Extra examples:
  • He told the story to all his friends.

    Anh kể câu chuyện đó cho tất cả bạn bè của mình.

  • She is always telling lies.

    Cô ấy luôn nói dối.

secret

to let somebody know a secret

để cho ai đó biết một bí mật

Example:
  • Promise you won't tell.

    Hãy hứa là bạn sẽ không kể.

  • ‘Who are you going out with tonight?’ ‘That would be telling!’ (= it's a secret)

    ‘Tối nay bạn đi chơi với ai?’ ‘Điều đó sẽ nói lên điều đó!’ (= đó là một bí mật)

order

to order or advise somebody to do something

ra lệnh hoặc khuyên ai đó làm gì

Example:
  • He was told to sit down and wait.

    Anh ta được yêu cầu ngồi xuống và chờ đợi.

  • There was a sign telling motorists to slow down.

    Có một biển báo yêu cầu người lái xe chạy chậm lại.

  • I kept telling myself to keep calm.

    Tôi luôn dặn lòng mình phải bình tĩnh.

  • I specifically told you to be here on time.

    Tôi đặc biệt dặn bạn phải có mặt đúng giờ.

  • Do what I tell you.

    Hãy làm những gì tôi bảo bạn.

  • Children must do as they're told.

    Trẻ em phải làm như được bảo.

  • Don't tell me what to do!

    Đừng bảo tôi phải làm gì!

  • The doctor told me (that) I should eat less fat.

    Bác sĩ nói với tôi (rằng) tôi nên ăn ít chất béo.

know/judge

to know, see or judge something correctly

để biết, nhìn thấy hoặc đánh giá một cái gì đó một cách chính xác

Example:
  • I think he's happy. It's hard to tell.

    Tôi nghĩ anh ấy hạnh phúc. Nó rất khó để nói.

  • As far as I can tell, she's enjoying the course.

    Theo những gì tôi có thể nói, cô ấy rất thích khóa học.

  • ‘That's not an original.’ ‘How can you tell?’

    “Đó không phải là bản gốc.” “Làm sao bạn biết được?”

  • I could tell (that) he was angry from his expression.

    Tôi có thể nói (rằng) anh ấy đang tức giận qua biểu hiện của mình.

  • The only way to tell if you like something is by trying it.

    Cách duy nhất để biết bạn có thích thứ gì đó hay không là thử nó.

  • It's too early to tell how popular this service will be.

    Còn quá sớm để nói mức độ phổ biến của dịch vụ này.

  • It's impossible to tell exactly where the problem is.

    Không thể nói chính xác vấn đề nằm ở đâu.

distinguish

to recognize the difference between one thing or person and another

để nhận ra sự khác biệt giữa một điều hoặc người và khác

Example:
  • It was hard to tell the difference between the two versions.

    Thật khó để nhận ra sự khác biệt giữa hai phiên bản.

  • Can you tell Tom from his twin brother?

    Bạn có thể phân biệt Tom với người anh song sinh của anh ấy không?

  • Can you tell this copy from the original?

    Bạn có thể phân biệt bản sao này với bản gốc không?

  • It's difficult to tell them apart.

    Thật khó để phân biệt chúng.

  • The kittens look exactly alike—how can you tell which is which?

    Những chú mèo con trông giống hệt nhau—làm sao bạn có thể phân biệt được con nào với con nào?

  • I couldn't tell who was meant to be the chairman.

    Tôi không thể biết ai sẽ là chủ tịch.

have effect

to have an effect on somebody/something, especially a bad one

có ảnh hưởng đến ai/cái gì, đặc biệt là xấu

Example:
  • The strain was beginning to tell on the rescue team.

    Sự căng thẳng bắt đầu đè nặng lên đội cứu hộ.

Related words and phrases

Idioms

all told
with all people, etc. counted and included
  • There are 52 people coming, all told.
    • don’t tell me
    (informal)used to say that you know or can guess what somebody is going to say, especially because it is typical of them
  • Don't tell me you were late again!
    • hear tell (of something)
    (old-fashioned or formal)to hear people talking about something
  • I've often heard tell of such things.
    • if (the) truth be known/told
    used to tell somebody the true facts about a situation, especially when these are not known by other people
  • If the truth be known, I was afraid to tell anyone.
    • I tell a lie
    (British English, informal)used to say that something you have just said is not true or correct
  • We first met in 2006, no, I tell a lie, it was 2007.
    • I tell you | I can tell you | I’m telling you
    (informal)used to emphasize what you are saying, especially when it is surprising or difficult to believe
  • It isn't cheap, I can tell you!
  • I'm telling you, that's exactly what she said.
    • I/I’ll tell you what
    (informal)used to introduce a suggestion
  • I'll tell you what—let's stay in instead.
    • I told you (so)
    (informal)used when something bad has happened, to remind somebody that you warned them about it and they did not listen to you
    kiss and tell
    a way of referring to somebody talking publicly, usually for money, about a past sexual relationship with somebody famous
    a little bird told me
    (informal)used to say that somebody told you something but you do not want to say who it was
    live, etc. to tell the tale
    to survive a difficult or dangerous experience so that you can tell others what really happened
    tell a different story/tale
    to give some information that is different from what you expect or have been told
  • These drugs are widely believed to be effective medications. The data, however, tell a different story.
    • tell me
    (informal)used to introduce a question
  • Tell me, have you had lunch yet?
    • tell me about it
    (informal)used to say that you understand what somebody is talking about and have had the same experience
  • ‘I get so annoyed with Steve!’ ‘Tell me about it. He drives me crazy.’
    • tell me another!
    (informal)used to tell somebody that you do not believe what they have said
    tell its own tale/story
    to explain itself, without needing any further explanation or comment
  • Her face told its own story.
    • tell tales (about something/on somebody)
    to tell somebody about something that another person has done wrong
    tell somebody/know a thing or two (about somebody/something)
    (informal)to tell somebody/know some useful, interesting or surprising information about somebody/something
  • After winning several Oscars, Nick Park can tell you a thing or two about making animated films.
    • tell the time
    to read the time from a clock, etc.
  • She's only five—she hasn't learnt to tell the time yet.
    • tell somebody where to get off/where they can get off
    (British English, informal)to make it clear to somebody that you will no longer accept their bad behaviour
    tell somebody where to put/stick something | tell somebody what they can do with something
    (informal)to make it clear to somebody that you are angry and are rejecting what they are offering you
    there’s no telling
    used to say that it is impossible to know what happened or will happen
  • There's no telling how they'll react.
    • time (alone) will tell | only time will tell
    (saying)used to say that you will have to wait for some time to find out the result of a situation
  • Only time will tell if the treatment has been successful.
    • to tell (you) the truth
    (informal)used when admitting something
  • To tell the truth, I fell asleep in the middle of her talk.
    • you can never tell | you never can tell
    (saying)you can never be sure, for example because things are not always what they appear to be
    you’re telling me!
    (informal)I completely agree with you