say
to express something in words.
The sentence uses “state” in context.
tell
to give information to a person in spoken or written words.
The sentence uses “inform” in context.
What Is the Difference?
The words overlap, but they are not interchangeable in every sentence. Compare each definition and choose the word whose nuance matches your intended meaning.
Quick Choice
- Choose say when you mean: to express something in words.
- Choose tell when you mean: to give information to a person in spoken or written words.