Say

Pronunciation

present tense: say: /seɪ/, rhymes with the letter A, & the words way, and weigh

says: /sez/, rhymes with fez

past tense & past participle: said, /sed/, rhymes with bed

Semantics

The fourth most common verb in English (after the auxiliaries be, have, & do), it means speak or assert. (dire in French).

Syntax

Arguments (valence): say vs. tell

• Say requires a subject (S) and a direct object (COD), i.e. what is said. (ce qui est dit, ou ce qu'on dit)
• An optional indirect object (COI) (to whom it was said) is introduced with the operator/preposition "to".

• Boris didn't say anything.
  • Boris didn't say anything to Lily.

Tell requires a subject (S) and a indirect object (COI) (to whom it was said). to is not used to introduce the indirect object.
The direct object (COD), i.e. what is said (ce qui est dit, ou ce qu'on dit) is not required syntactically.
This direct object can be either a noun phrase (the answer, the truth, a lie, a story, ...) or an infinitival (to wait, to call back later... etc.)

• Boris didn't tell her.
• Boris didn't tell her anything.
• Boris didn't tell her to do anything.