Ask vs. Say — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Ask and Say
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Compare with Definitions
Ask
To put a question to
When we realized that we didn't know the answer, we asked the teacher.
Say
Utter words so as to convey information, an opinion, a feeling or intention, or an instruction
He said to come early
Our parents wouldn't believe a word we said
‘Thank you,’ he said
He said the fund stood at £100,000
Ask
To seek an answer to
Ask a question.
Say
Assume something in order to work out what its consequences would be; make a hypothesis
Let's say we pay in five thousand pounds in the first year
Ask
To seek information about
Asked directions.
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Say
Used to express surprise or to draw attention to a remark or question
Say, did you notice any blood?
Ask
To make a request of
Asked me for a loan.
Say
An opportunity for stating one's opinion or feelings
She let him have his say
Ask
To make a request for. Often used with an infinitive or clause
Ask a favor of a friend.
Asked to go along on the trip.
Asked that he be allowed to stay out late.
Say
To utter aloud; pronounce
The children said, "Good morning.".
Ask
To require or call for as a price or condition
Asked ten dollars for the book.
Say
To express in words
Say what's on your mind.
Ask
To expect or demand
Ask too much of a child.
Say
To state as an opinion or judgment; declare
I say let's eat out.
Ask
To invite
Asked them to dinner.
Say
To state as a determination of fact
It's hard to say who is right in this matter.
Ask
(Archaic)To publish, as marriage banns.
Say
To report or maintain; allege
It is said he is a fraud.
Ask
To make inquiry; seek information.
Say
To repeat or recite
Said grace.
Ask
To make a request
Asked for help.
Say
To indicate; show
The clock says half past two.
Ask
The act of making a request
“He was contacted by the mayor's fund-raiser ... a day after the mayor made the ask” (Jennifer Fermino).
Say
To give nonverbal expression to; signify or embody
It was an act that said "devotion.".
Ask
Something that is requested
“Being funny on demand is a big ask” (Anne Curzan).
Say
To suppose; assume
Let's say that you're right.
Ask
To request (information, or an answer to a question).
I asked her age.
I asked her (for) her age.
Say
To make a statement or express an opinion or judgment
The story must be true because the teacher said so.
Ask
To put forward (a question) to be answered.
To ask a question
Say
A turn or chance to speak
Having had my say, I sat down.
Ask
To interrogate or enquire of (a person).
I'm going to ask this lady for directions.
Say
The right or power to influence or make a decision
Citizens have a say in the councils of government. All I want is some say in the matter.
Ask
To request or petition; usually with for.
To ask for a second helping at dinner
To ask for help with homework
Emma asked Jim to close his eyes.
Say
(Archaic) Something said; a statement.
Ask
To request permission to do something.
She asked to see the doctor.
Did you ask to use the car?
Say
Approximately
There were, say, 500 people present.
Ask
To require, demand, claim, or expect, whether by way of remuneration or return, or as a matter of necessity.
What price are you asking for the house?
Say
For instance
A woodwind, say an oboe.
Ask
To invite.
Don't ask them to the wedding.
Say
Used to express surprise or appeal for someone's attention.
Ask
To publish in church for marriage; said of both the banns and the persons.
Say
(transitive) To pronounce.
Please say your name slowly and clearly.
Ask
(figuratively) To take (a person's situation) as an example.
Say
(transitive) To recite.
Martha, will you say the Pledge of Allegiance?
Ask
An act or instance of asking.
Say
(transitive) To tell, either verbally or in writing.
He said he would be here tomorrow.
Ask
Something asked or asked for.
I know this is a big ask, but …
Say
(transitive) To indicate in a written form.
The sign says it’s 50 kilometres to Paris.
Ask
An asking price.
Say
To have a common expression; used in singular passive voice or plural active voice to indicate a rumor or well-known fact.
They say "when in Rome, do as the Romans do", which means "behave as those around you do."
Ask
(Internet) A message sent to a blog on social networking platform Tumblr, which can be publicly posted and replied to by the recipient.
Say
Suppose, assume; used to mark an example, supposition or hypothesis.
A holiday somewhere warm – Florida, say – would be nice.
Say he refuses. What do we do then?
Say your family is starving and you don't have any money, is it okay to steal some food?
Ask
An eft; newt.
Say
(intransitive) To speak; to express an opinion; to make answer; to reply.
Ask
A lizard.
Say
To bet as a wager on an outcome; by extension, used to express belief in an outcome by the speaker.
Ask
To request; to seek to obtain by words; to petition; to solicit; - often with of, in the sense of from, before the person addressed.
Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God.
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Say
To try; to assay.
Ask
To require, demand, claim, or expect, whether by way of remuneration or return, or as a matter of necessity; as, what price do you ask?
Ask me never so much dowry.
To whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
An exigence of state asks a much longer time to conduct a design to maturity.
Say
A chance to speak; the right or power to influence or make a decision.
Ask
To interrogate or inquire of or concerning; to put a question to or about; to question.
He is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.
He asked the way to Chester.
Say
A type of fine cloth similar to serge.
Ask
To invite; as, to ask one to an entertainment.
Say
Trial by sample; assay; specimen.
Ask
To publish in church for marriage; - said of both the banns and the persons.
Say
Tried quality; temper; proof.
Ask
To request or petition; - usually followed by for; as, to ask for bread.
Ask, and it shall be given you.
Say
Essay; trial; attempt.
Ask
To make inquiry, or seek by request; - sometimes followed by after.
Wherefore . . . dost ask after my name?
Say
For example; let us assume.
Pick a color you think they'd like, say, peach.
He was driving pretty fast, say, fifty miles per hour.
Ask
A water newt.
Say
(colloquial) Used to gain someone's attention before making an inquiry or suggestion
Say, what did you think about the movie?
Ask
Inquire about;
I asked about their special today
He had to ask directions several times
Say
Saw.
Ask
Make a request or demand for something to somebody;
She asked him for a loan
Say
Trial by sample; assay; sample; specimen; smack.
If those principal works of God . . . be but certain tastes and says, as it were, of that final benefit.
Thy tongue some say of breeding breathes.
Ask
Direct or put; seek an answer to;
Ask a question
Say
Tried quality; temper; proof.
He found a sword of better say.
Ask
Consider obligatory; request and expect;
We require our secretary to be on time
Aren't we asking too much of these children?
I expect my students to arrive in time for their lessons
Say
Essay; trial; attempt.
Ask
Require or ask for as a price or condition;
He is asking $200 for the table
The kidnapers are asking a million dollars in return for the release of their hostage
Say
A kind of silk or satin.
Thou say, thou serge, nay, thou buckram lord!
Ask
Address a question to and expect an answer from;
Ask your teacher about trigonometry
The children asked me about their dead grandmother
Say
A delicate kind of serge, or woolen cloth.
His garment neither was of silk nor say.
Ask
Require as useful, just, or proper;
It takes nerve to do what she did
Success usually requires hard work
This job asks a lot of patience and skill
This position demands a lot of personal sacrifice
This dinner calls for a spectacular dessert
This intervention does not postulates a patient's consent
Say
A speech; something said; an expression of opinion; a current story; a maxim or proverb.
He no sooner said out his say, but up rises a cunning snap.
That strange palmer's boding say,That fell so ominous and drearFull on the object of his fear.
Say
To try; to assay.
Say
To utter or express in words; to tell; to speak; to declare; as, he said many wise things.
Arise, and say how thou camest here.
Say
To repeat; to rehearse; to recite; to pronounce; as, to say a lesson.
Of my instruction hast thou nothing batedIn what thou hadst to say?
After which shall be said or sung the following hymn.
Say
To announce as a decision or opinion; to state positively; to assert; hence, to form an opinion upon; to be sure about; to be determined in mind as to.
But what it is, hard is to say.
Say
To mention or suggest as an estimate, hypothesis, or approximation; hence, to suppose; - in the imperative, followed sometimes by the subjunctive; as, he had, say fifty thousand dollars; the fox had run, say ten miles.
Say, for nonpayment that the debt should double,Is twenty hundred kisses such a trouble?
Say
To speak; to express an opinion; to make answer; to reply.
You have said; but whether wisely or no, let the forest judge.
To this argument we shall soon have said; for what concerns it us to hear a husband divulge his household privacies?
Say
The chance to speak;
Let him have his say
Say
Express in words;
He said that he wanted to marry her
Tell me what is bothering you
State your opinion
State your name
Say
Report or maintain;
He alleged that he was the victim of a crime
He said it was too late to intervene in the war
The registrar says that I owe the school money
Say
Express a supposition;
Let us say that he did not tell the truth
Let's say you had a lot of money--what would you do?
Say
Have or contain a certain wording or form;
The passage reads as follows
What does the law say?
Say
State as one's opinion or judgement; declare;
I say let's forget this whole business
Say
Utter aloud;
She said `Hello' to everyone in the office
Say
Give instructions to or direct somebody to do something with authority;
I said to him to go home
She ordered him to do the shopping
The mother told the child to get dressed
Say
Speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way;
She pronounces French words in a funny way
I cannot say `zip wire'
Can the child sound out this complicated word?
Say
Recite or repeat a fixed text;
Say grace
She said her `Hail Mary'
Say
Communicate or express nonverbally;
What does this painting say?
Did his face say anything about how he felt?
Say
Indicate;
The clock says noon
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