сказать vs рассказать
skazát' vs rasskazát' — say/tell briefly vs tell or narrate in detail
Register: neutral
What it really means
Сказать delivers a word, short message, opinion, or fact. Рассказать gives a story, account, or fuller explanation, often answering what happened or providing details.
Examples in natural speech
Скажи мне правду.
Tell me the truth.
Расскажи, что случилось.
Tell me what happened.
Он сказал только одно слово.
He said only one word.
Бабушка рассказала детям сказку.
Grandmother told the children a fairy tale.
Я хочу сказать спасибо.
I want to say thank you.
Common mistakes
Do not use сказать when the listener expects a narrative: *Скажи, как прошла поездка sounds like a request for a brief answer, whereas Расскажи, как прошла поездка invites an account. Conversely, сказать is natural for a single fact or phrase, not necessarily a story.
Memory tip
Сказать is one speech bubble; рассказать unrolls a whole reel of events.
Frequently asked questions
Can both verbs introduce «что»?
Yes, but the amount of information differs. Сказать, что поезд отменили reports a fact; рассказать, что произошло, introduces a fuller account.
Which case is used for the listener?
Both can take the listener in the dative: сказать мне, рассказать детям. Рассказать can additionally take the story as a direct object: рассказать историю.
How do «говорить» and «сказать» differ?
Говорить is imperfective and describes speaking or saying in general; сказать is perfective and presents one utterance as complete. This aspect contrast is separate from the breadth of рассказать.
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