German Conversation · Level 17
88 words
German word
sagen
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈzaːgn̩/
Meaning
- verbsay
Example
Ich sage dir die Wahrheit.
I am telling you the truth.
More examples
Er hat ehrlich gesagt, was ihn stört.
He honestly said what was bothering him.
Core concept
Words leave one speaker and reach another as a statement or piece of information.
Common phrases
ehrlich sagen
say honestly
etwas Falsches sagen
say something wrong
das Gegenteil sagen
say the opposite
Similar words
erzählen: Recount an event or story in detail and in a clear sequence.
mitteilen: Communicate information or news clearly, often in a formal way.
nennen: State a name or designation in words.
antworten: Give a verbal reply to a question or call.
Definition in German
Mit Worten eine Aussage machen oder jemandem etwas mitteilen.
Word origin
German sagen comes through Old High German sagēn from Proto-Germanic *sagjaną and is related to English say.
Usage tips
- With a person as the recipient, sagen normally uses the dative, as in jemandem etwas sagen.