Collocations for "speak"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "speak" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
speak
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.v
- speak [directly, indirectly, plainly, clearly]
- speak in public
- speak at the [meeting, ceremony, graduation]
- speak and [write, understand, read, spell]
- speak [English]
- speak [a little, some] [Spanish]
- doesn't speak a word of [Spanish]
- (don't) speak the lingo
- speaks (the language) like a native
- speaks with [an, a German, a slight] accent
- speak your mind
- speak the truth
- speaks (a lot of) sense
- speak for yourself!
- [can speak, is capable of speaking] for herself
- the [products, reviews] speak for themselves
- I can only speak for myself
- [cannot, does not] speak for [all, every, everyone, the others]
- speak on behalf of
- speak about the [class, issue, news]
- spoke [at length, in detail] about
- speak out against [poverty, the oil companies]
- speak out about [poverty]
- speak up [in class, at the meeting]
- (please) speak up! (I can't hear you)
- do not speak until (you are) spoken to
- speak (only) when (you are) spoken to
- speak as though you have [seen, done, experienced, heard]
- speak to [them, your professor, her parents, my lawyer, someone] (about)
- speak with [them] (about)
- not speaking to each other (any more)
- the [book, movie, song] (really) spoke to me
- speaks volumes for [him, her efforts, their chances]
- speaks volumes about [him]
- too [scared, nervous, frightened] to speak
- no [debts, problems, issues] to speak of
- speaking from (personal) experience
- speaking of [that, which]
'speak' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
British
- Chinese
- Dutch
- English
- French
- German
- Greek
- Italian
- Japanese
- Pope
- Russian
- Swedish
- Welsh
- ability
- aching
- agent
- allow
- aloud
- arabic
- attend
- bid
- board
- boss
- brisk
- brittle
- can
- clarity
- clearly
- clerical
- comfort
- command
- compel
- confidence
- contest
- continue
- courageous
- cue
- daily
- dare
- daring
- defense
- demand
- devil
- drum
- earnest
- essay
- ever
- every
- excuse
- exhausted