tell and explain

[vannet]

could you tell me what difference between tell and explain and how we use them.

Thanks

[Tdol]

If I tell you a joke, I simply say the words necessary to comunictae the joke to you. If you don't understand it, then I would explain the joke- give you the reasons why it is funny. If you explain something, you try to make the other person understand.

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by vannet

could you tell me what difference between tell and explain and how we use them.

Thanks

When we tell someone something, we communicate: inform, warn, notify, assure, etc. them. When we explain something we attempt to make something clear and understandable.

In usage, "tell" is ditransitive; it can have both a direct and an indirect object. "Explain" can only be monotransitive: one object.