talk

verb

OPAL S

/tɔːk/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they talk	/tɔːk/ /tɔːk/
he / she / it talks	/tɔːks/ /tɔːks/
past simple talked	/tɔːkt/ /tɔːkt/
past participle talked	/tɔːkt/ /tɔːkt/
-ing form talking	/ˈtɔːkɪŋ/ /ˈtɔːkɪŋ/

Idioms Phrasal Verbs

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speak to somebody

[intransitive, transitive] to say things; to speak in order to give information or to express feelings, ideas, etc.

Stop talking and listen!
We talked on the phone for over an hour.
talk to somebody Who were you talking to just now?
Ann and Joe aren't talking to each other right now (= they refuse to speak to each other because they have argued).
talk to yourself Watch the scene where Don talks to himself in the mirror while shaving.
talk with somebody We looked around the school and talked with the principal.
talk about somebody/something They talk a lot about the inspiration for their music.
When they get together, all they talk about is football.
What are you talking about? (= used when you are surprised, annoyed and/or worried by something that somebody has just said)
I don't know what you're talking about (= used to say that you did not do something that somebody has accused you of).
to talk openly/freely/publicly about something
talk to/with somebody about somebody/something She started talking loudly to her friends about the film they'd just seen.
talk of doing something Mary is talking of looking for another job.
talk of something We often talked of the war.
talk yourself + adj. We talked ourselves hoarse, catching up on all the news.

Wordfinder

conference
delegate
exhibition
name tag
plenary
register
speaker
talk
venue
workshop

Extra Examples

He was so easy to talk to.
I think you'd better talk directly to my manager.
I'll talk to John this afternoon.
I can't talk about it just now.
Bruce Springsteen has agreed to talk exclusively to our reporter about his life.
I loved to hear him talk about the old days.
She talked quite freely about her work.
He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.
He talked excitedly of his plans.

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb

loudly
quietly
softly
…

verb + talk

be able to
can
need to
…

preposition

about
of
to
…

phrases

start talking
stop talking
talk a good game
…

See full entry

discuss

[intransitive, transitive] to discuss something, usually something serious or important

This situation can't go on. We need to talk.
The two sides in the dispute are finally willing to talk.
talk to/with somebody Talk with your doctor before radically changing your diet.
talk about something Is there anything you'd like to talk about?
talk to/with somebody about something We want to talk to people about this issue.
talk something to talk politics

Synonyms talktalk

discuss
speak
communicate
debate
consult

These words all mean to share news, information, ideas or feelings with another person or other people, especially by talking with them.

talk
to speak in order to give information, express feelings or share ideas:
- We talked on the phone for over an hour.
discuss
(rather formal) to talk and share ideas on a subject or problem with other people, especially in order to decide something:
- Have you discussed the problem with anyone?
You cannot say ‘discuss about something’: I’m not prepared to discuss about this on the phone.
speak
to talk to somebody about something; to have a conversation with somebody:
- I’ve spoken to the manager about it.
- ‘Can I speak to Susan?’ ‘Speaking.’ (= at the beginning of a phone conversation)

talk or speak?Speak can suggest a more formal level of communication than talk. You speak to somebody about something to try to achieve a particular goal or to tell them to do something. You talk to somebody in order to be friendly or to ask their advice: Have you talked to your parents about the problems you’re having? • I’ve spoken to Ed about it and he’s promised not to let it happen again.

communicate
(rather formal) to exchange information or ideas with somebody:
- We only communicate by email.
- Dolphins use sound to communicate with each other.
Communicate is often used when the speaker wants to draw attention to the means of communication used.
debate
to discuss something, especially formally, before making a decision or finding a solution:
- Politicians will be debating the bill later this week.
consult
(rather formal) to discuss something with somebody in order to get their permission for something, or to help you make a decision:
- You shouldn’t have done it without consulting me.

Patterns

to talk/discuss something/speak/communicate/debate/consult with somebody
to talk/speak to somebody
to talk/speak to somebody/consult somebody about something
to talk/speak of something

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb

loudly
quietly
softly
…

verb + talk

be able to
can
need to
…

preposition

about
of
to
…

phrases

start talking
stop talking
talk a good game
…

See full entry

say words

[intransitive, transitive] to say words in a language

The baby is just starting to talk.
Alex can't talk yet—he's only just one year old.
talk in something We couldn't understand them because they were talking in Chinese.
talk something Are they talking Swedish or Danish?

sense/nonsense

[transitive] talk something to say things that are/are not sensible

She talks a lot of sense.
(British English) You're talking rubbish!
See if you can talk some sense into him (= persuade him to be sensible).

for emphasis

[transitive]

be talking something

(informal) used to emphasize an amount of money, how serious something is, etc.

We're talking £500 for three hours' work.
Do you know what this will cost? We’re talking megabucks here.

about private life

[intransitive] to talk about a person’s private life synonym gossip

Don't phone me at work—people will talk.

give information

[intransitive] to give information to somebody, especially unwillingly

The police questioned him but he refused to talk.

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb

loudly
quietly
softly
…

verb + talk

be able to
can
need to
…

preposition

about
of
to
…

phrases

start talking
stop talking
talk a good game
…

See full entry

Word OriginMiddle English: frequentative verb from the Germanic base of tale or tell.

Idioms

knock/talk some sense into somebody

to try and persuade somebody to stop behaving in a stupid way, sometimes using rough or violent methods
- Try and talk some sense into her before she makes the wrong decision.
- Where would I be without you to knock some sense into my head?

know what you’re talking about

(informal) to have knowledge about something from your own experience
- I’ve lived in China, so I know what I’m talking about.

look who’s talking | you can/can’t talk | you’re a fine one to talk

(informal) used to tell somebody that they should not criticize somebody else for something because they do the same things too
- ‘George is so careless with money.’ ‘Look who's talking!’

money talks

(saying) people who have a lot of money have more power and influence than others

now you’re talking

(informal) used when you like what somebody has suggested very muchTopics Suggestions and advicec2

speak/talk of the devil

(informal) people say speak/talk of the devil when somebody they have been talking about appears unexpectedly
- Well, speak of the devil—here's Alice now!

speak/talk out of turn

to say something that you should not because it is the wrong situation or because it offends somebody

speak/talk the same language

to be able to communicate easily with another person because you share similar opinions and experienceTopics Opinion and argumentc2

talk about…

(informal) used to emphasize something
- Talk about mean! She didn't even buy me a card.

talk dirty

(informal) to talk to somebody about sex in order to make them sexually excited

talk a good game

to talk in a way that sounds convincing, but may not be sincere
- The senior managers talk a good game about customer relations, but really they don't care about the customer.

talk the hind legs off a donkey

(informal) to talk too much, especially about things that are boring or not important

talking of somebody/something

(informal, especially British English) used when you are going to say more about a subject that has already been mentioned
- Talking of Sue, I met her new boyfriend last week.

talk/speak of the devil

(informal) people say talk/speak of the devil when somebody they have been talking about appears unexpectedly
- Well, talk of the devil—here's Alice now!

talk shop

(usually disapproving) to talk about your work with the people you work with, especially when you are also with other people who are not connected with or interested in it
- Whenever we meet up with Clive and Sue they always end up talking shop.

talk the talk

(informal, sometimes disapproving) to be able to talk in a confident way that makes people think you are good at what you do
- You can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk? (= can you act in a way that matches your words?)

talk through your hat

(old-fashioned, informal) to say silly things while you are talking about a subject you do not understand

talk tough (on something)

(informal, especially North American English) to tell people very strongly what you want

talk turkey

(informal, especially North American English) to talk about something seriously

talk your way out of something/of doing something

to make excuses and give reasons for not doing something; to manage to get yourself out of a difficult situation
- I managed to talk my way out of having to give a speech.

you can/can't talk | look who's talking | you're a fine one to talk

(informal) used to tell somebody that they should not criticize somebody else for something because they do the same things too

you're a fine one to talk | look who's talking | you can/can't talk

(informal) used to tell somebody that they should not criticize somebody else for something because they do the same things too

talk

noun

OPAL S

/tɔːk/

Idioms

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speech

[countable] a speech or lecture on a particular subject

I went to several interesting talks at the conference.
talk on something She gave a talk on her visit to China.
talk about something I heard a talk about the history of printing.

Synonyms speechspeech

lecture
address
talk
sermon

These are all words for a talk given to an audience.

speech
a formal talk given to an audience:
- Several people made speeches at the wedding.
lecture
a talk given to a group of people to tell them about a particular subject, often as part of a university or college course:
- a lecture on the Roman army
- a course/series of lectures
address
a formal speech given to an audience:
- a televised presidential address

speech or address?A speech can be given on a public or private occasion; an address is always public: He gave an address at the wedding.

talk
a fairly informal session in which somebody tells a group of people about a subject:
- She gave an interesting talk on her visit to China.
sermon
a talk on a moral or religious subject, usually given by a religious leader during a service:
- to preach a sermon

Patterns

a long/short speech/lecture/address/talk/sermon
a keynote speech/lecture/address
to write/prepare/give/deliver/hear a(n) speech/lecture/address/talk/sermon
to attend/go to a lecture/talk

conversation

[countable] a conversation or discussion

She looked worried so we had a talk.
talk about something We need to have a serious talk about money matters.
talk with somebody I had to have a heart-to-heart talk with her.
I will have to have a little talk with that young lady (= talk to her about something she has done wrong).
talk with somebody about something I had a long talk with my boss about my career prospects.

Synonyms discussiondiscussion

conversation
dialogue
talk
debate
consultation
chat
gossip

These are all words for an occasion when people talk about something.

discussion
a detailed conversation about something that is considered to be important:
- Discussions are still taking place between the two leaders.
conversation
a talk, usually a private or informal one, involving two people or a small group; the activity of talking in this way:
- a telephone conversation
dialogue
conversations in a book, play or film:
- The novel has long descriptions and not much dialogue.
A dialogue is also a formal discussion between two groups, especially when they are trying to solve a problem or end a dispute:
- The President told waiting reporters there had been a constructive dialogue.
talk
a conversation or discussion, often one about a problem or something important for the people involved:
- I had a long talk with my boss about my career prospects.
debate
a formal discussion of an issue at a public meeting or in a parliament. In a debate two or more speakers express opposing views and then there is often a vote on the issue:
- a debate on prison reform
consultation
a formal discussion between groups of people before a decision is made about something:
- There have been extensive consultations between the two countries.
chat a friendly informal conversation; informal talking. The countable use of chat is especially British English: I just called in for a chat about the kids.
gossip
a conversation about other people and their private lives:
- We had a good gossip about the boss.

Patterns

a discussion/conversation/dialogue/talk/debate/consultation/chat/gossip about something
a discussion/conversation/dialogue/debate/consultation on something
in (close) discussion/conversation/dialogue/debate/consultation with somebody
to have a discussion/conversation/dialogue/talk/debate/consultation/chat/gossip with somebody
to hold a discussion/conversation/debate/consultation

Extra Examples

I enjoyed our talk about the old days.
Every week the sales reps go to their manager's office for a team talk.

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective

brief
little
short
…

verb + talk

have

talk + noun

show
radio

preposition

talk about
talk with

See full entry

formal discussions

talks

[plural] formal discussions between governments or organizations

peace/trade talks
to hold talks
to engage in/enter into talks
to pull out of talks
talks with somebody/something The delegation arrived for talks with their government.
in talks with somebody/something He is currently in talks with two football clubs.
talks between A and B Talks between management and workers broke down over the issue of holiday pay.
talks on something Leaders will resume talks on the trade deal next month.
talks over something Talks continue over the political future of the province.
A further round of talks will be needed if the dispute is to be resolved.
Union representatives walked out of emergency talks aimed at reaching a pay settlement.

Extra Examples

Talks produced agreement on an end to the occupation.
The peace talks will take place in Cairo.
The talks centred on bilateral trade.
The talks foundered on the issue of compensation.
The two governments held secret talks on the nuclear threat.
The talks remain deadlocked over spending plans.

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective

lengthy
high-level
top-level
…

… of talks

round

verb + talk

conduct
have
hold
…

talk + verb

be scheduled
take place
begin
…

preposition

during talk
in talk
talk about
…

See full entry

words without actions

[uncountable] (informal) words that are spoken, but without the necessary facts or actions to support them

It's just talk. He'd never carry out his threats.
Don't pay any attention to her—she's all talk.

Extra Examples

For all their talk of equality, the boys ended up not doing any cooking.
The chairman's boasts about future profits was just cheap talk.
What all the fine talk came down to was hard cash.

stories/rumours

[uncountable] stories that suggest a particular thing might be true or might happen in the future

She dismissed the stories of her resignation as newspaper talk.
talk of (doing) something There was talk in Washington of sending in troops.
talk that… There’s talk that he’s a difficult actor to work with.

Extra Examples

All this talk of the boss resigning is nonsense!
There is ridiculous talk of her breaking the world record soon.
There was excited talk of emigrating to America.
You often hear talk of the north-south divide.
There is open talk of a leadership challenge.
There has been much public talk about bilingual education.

topic/way of speaking

[uncountable] (often in compounds) a topic of conversation or a way of speaking

business talk
She said it was just girl talk that a man wouldn't understand.
The book teaches you how to understand Spanish street talk (= slang).
It was tough talk, coming from a man who had begun the year in a hospital bed.

see also baby talk, back talk, pep talk, sales talk, shop talk, small talk, sweet talk, trash talk

Extra Examples

She likes straight talk and hates hypocrites.
The president's true agenda was hidden in political double talk.
The US authorities have increased the war talk.
the crusade against dirty talk on TV
the pillow talk of lovers
Talk turned to money and tempers began to fray.

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective

excited
crazy
wild
…

verb + talk

hear

talk + verb

turn to something

preposition

talk about/of

phrases

be all talk
be just talk
for all the talk of something
…

See full entry

Word OriginMiddle English: frequentative verb from the Germanic base of tale or tell.

Idioms

fighting talk

comments or remarks that show that you are ready to fight very hard for something
- What we want from the management is fighting talk.

the talk of something

the person or thing that everyone is talking about in a particular place
- Overnight, she became the talk of the town (= very famous).