told vs. said

[Anonymous]

Why do Americans say "I told a lie" rather than "I said a lie?"

What's the difference between told and said?

[MashUK]

To be honest, i have never heard people say "say a lie". It's always "tell a lie", it's considered a set-phrase, like "tell the truth".
I may be wrong though.

[banderas]

To be honest, i have never heard people say "say a lie". It's always "tell a lie", it's considered a set-phrase, like "tell the truth".
I may be wrong though.

You are not.


Here are a few more fixed phrases with tell. We cannot use say with these phrases:
tell (someone) a story
tell the future (= to know what the future will bring)
tell the time (= know how to read a clock)