Tečaj

How simple would life be for learners and translators of English, or indeed any other language, if we could just pair up a word in our own language with the word in English! In our effort to make your life a tad easier, we shall have a closer look at several words which all translate ‘govoriti’ into English.

‘Speak’ and ‘talk’ are both used in the widest sense of expressing thoughts or emotions through words. Sometimes they are interchangeable, so we can speak or talk to someone, on the phone, loudly or in a soft voice. But usually, we must only use one and not the other. ‘Speak’ is often used with languages (How many languages can you speak?), and in fixed phrases such as speak your mind (say what you really think). As nouns, you make a speech (more formal) or give a talk (less formal). Remember, however, that the person who makes a speech is the speaker, not the talker (a person who simply talks a lot about everything). We also use ‘talk’ in phrases such as: I managed to talk my boss into giving me a pay rise (persuade); or These guys can talk shop all night (talk about work even when not working). As a plural noun, ‘talks’ mean negotiations (e.g. peace talks).

These three verbs are more formal and used in a more specific sense. You can converse in a foreign language, or have a long conversation with your friend on the phone. ‘To discuss’ primarily means to talk with others in an effort to reach agreement, so you will find lots of discussions in meeting rooms, where people discuss certain topics or issues. ‘Consult’ means to seek advice or information from someone, e.g. a consultant, doctor, lawyer, or colleague. We can consult a book or a dictionary if we want to learn a new word, or our diary if we want to schedule a consultation with a doctor.

Used mostly in informal situations, these two verbs describe casual conversation, such as with your family, friends or colleagues, in person or on the phone. Examples include office chat or water cooler chat, named after the place in an office where people are most likely to have a break and chat. Nowadays, you can chat over the Internet, by using chat rooms. Just be careful not to do it when you should be working! ‘Gossip’ implies talking about someone’s private life or something which might not be true, and often has negative connotations. There is always a gossip in every office, a chatty or talkative person who likes to spread stories and rumours about others. But we all like some good gossip from time to time. Did you know that Madonna and her new boyfriend are the talk of the town (a topic everybody is talking about)? 😊