Collocations for "tell"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "tell" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
tell
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.v
- tell a [secret, lie, fib, joke]
- don't tell [lies, fibs, stories, tales]
- told us the [news, truth, secret]
- tell me the truth
- tell a story (about)
- tell tall [stories, tales]
- tell her side of the story
- tell it how it is
- tell me what you [think, want, heard, decide]
- tell me your opinion
- tell me when you decide
- tell her everything
- tell her you love her
- don't tell [him, anyone]
- need to tell [a friend, someone] (about)
- someone should tell him that
- let me tell you [all about it, everything]
- can't tell you [when, if, where, what, how]
- promise you won't tell [anyone, a soul]?
- (please) don't tell me [you've, you're]
- were told to [come, go, be quiet]
- can tell when [you're lying, you've made a mistake]
- can tell the difference (between)
- can tell you changed your [hair, glasses]
- you can't always tell [which, who, what]
- is not always easy to tell
- [cannot, hard to] tell the [two, twins, sisters] apart
- [cannot] tell them apart
- told [them, the children] off (for)
- going to tell (the teacher, your parents) on you (for)
- tell on your little [brother, sister]
- [history, legend] tells of a [land, time, king]
'tell' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
ASAP
- English
- I
- able
- about
- ache
- adult
- affair
- afraid
- after
- also
- always
- apart
- apprehensive
- ashamed
- bark
- beak
- beg
- below
- better
- bonus
- bound
- button
- buzz
- call
- can
- certainty
- clearly
- closely
- coax
- compel
- conviction
- cow
- crafty
- deeply
- dial
- doctor
- dope
- ear
- embarrassed
- enlist
- experience
- face
- fact
- fall
- feel
- fine
- fit
- force
- formula