Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| sprechen | /ˈʃprɛçən/ |
| reden | /ˈʁeːdən/ |
Both words describe communicating through speech. Use sprechen when referring to the ability to speak a language or the formal act of speaking. Use reden for general talking or chatting. If you want to say you are speaking with someone, use the construction mit jemandem sprechen, which uses the preposition mit followed by the dative case. Related nouns include Gespräch (conversation) and Vortrag (lecture).
Which one should you use?
sprechen is often used for the formal act of speaking or for expressing linguistic ability, such as speaking a language. In contrast, reden is more common for casual conversation and can sometimes imply that someone is rambling or talking too much.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb sprechen conjugates in the present tense as Ich spreche, Du sprichst, Er/sie/es spricht, Wir sprechen, Ihr sprecht and Sie sprechen. Its simple past tense is sprach and its past participle is gesprochen. The verb reden has the simple past tense redete and the past participle geredet.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʃprɛçən/
Did you know?
- The phrase Tacheles reden is used when someone wants to 'talk straight' or get to the point without beating around the bush.
- The verb reden shares an ancient root with the concept of 'accountability' or 'giving an account', suggesting that to talk is to be responsible for one's words.
- The noun Rede can mean a formal 'speech' or 'oration', which is much more significant than the casual 'chat' implied by the verb reden.
Examples in context
- Du hast gut reden!You can talk well!This sentence shows how to compliment someone's ability to talk.Tatoeba #442609 by Espi, translation #2126151 by freddy1
- Reden Sie nicht so.Don't talk like that.This sentence is used to tell someone not to talk in a certain way.Tatoeba #1315682 by al_ex_an_der, translation #41283 by CK
- Ich will nur reden.I just want to talk.This sentence expresses a desire simply to talk.Tatoeba #2115987 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1887451 by CK
- Ich spreche Deutsch.I speak German.
- Wann können wir sprechen?When can we talk?
- Können wir uns später unterhalten?Can we talk later?
- Er unterhält sich gern mit anderen Leuten.He enjoys talking to other people.
- Lass uns reden.Let's talk.
- Wir haben lange geredet.We talked for a long time.
- Komm, lass uns quatschen.Come on, let's chat.
- Wir haben gestern stundenlang gequatscht.We chatted for hours yesterday.
- 2148 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Hannah are at a quiet cafe.
- LukasHannah, können wir kurz sprechen?Hannah, can we talk briefly?
- HannahJa, Lukas. Was gibt es?Yes, Lukas. What is it?
- LukasIch möchte über das Wochenende sprechen.I want to talk about the weekend.
- HannahGerne, erzähl mir davon.Gladly, tell me about it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “talk” translations and entries sprechen, reden, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries reden, sprechen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
