TELL vs SAY

Hi Guys!
Today, I've got something to tell you... (or say you?)

No doubt that the two words , 'SAY' and 'TELL' have the same meaning; however the grammar is different. Consider the sentence below:

He told me a story
This sentence cannot be written as 'He said me a story' or 'He said to me a story'. The rule is that when you use an indirect object ('me' i.e. to whom the story is spoken), you must use TELL.

Some more examples:

She told us the truth.
Jane told her children to keep quiet.
They did it because you told them to do so.
I told him many times not to repeat it.


In the examples above, direct pronouns (us, her, them, him) are used. That's why only 'told' is possible here. It would be ungrammatical to say 'She said us the truth', 'She said to us the truth' etc.


Tell can also be followed occasionally by a direct object. Always use 'tell' before the following nouns whether an indirect object or direct object follows them.

Tell a story
Tell a joke
Tell a secret
Tell a lie
Tell the truth
Tell (the) time etc. 

Examples:
My grand dad told a story last night. (correct)
My grand dad told me a story last night. (correct)

I can't tell jokes now. (correct)
I can't tell you jokes now. (correct)

Mary told a secret (correct)
Mary told me a secret (correct)

Don't tell a lie (correct)
Don't tell me a lie (correct)

You have to tell the tuth. (correct)
You have to tell her the tuth. (correct)

Won't you tell the time? (corret)
Won't you tell us thetime? (corret)

                                                                                                                                                                     
Bye
Have a great Weekend.
Jack (Nova English Campus)