speak
verb
spiːk verb
1
IN CONVERSATION
在会话中
to talk to someone about something 谈话，交谈 I always + adv/prep | especially AmE
[+ to ]
I spoke to her last Wednesday.
上星期三我和她谈过了。
‘Hello, may I speak to Jim Smith?’ ‘Yes, speaking.’ (=used on the telephone)
“喂，请让吉姆．史密斯听电话好吗？”“喂，我就是。”
I know her by sight, but not to speak to (=not well enough to talk to her) .
我只是认得她，但没跟她说过话。
speak to sb about sth
I haven’t spoken to Steve about all this.
我还没跟史蒂夫谈过此事。
[+ with ] especially AmE 【尤美】 :
They did not want to speak with reporters.
他们不想和记者说话。
[+ of ]
It was the first time she had ever spoken of marriage.
那是她头一次谈及婚姻问题。
2
SAY WORDS
说话
to use your voice to produce words 说话，讲话 I
I was so shocked I couldn’t speak.
我震惊得说不出话来。
He spoke very softly (=quietly) .
他说话声音非常轻柔。
3
LANGUAGE
语言
to be able to talk in a particular language 会说，会讲〔某种语言〕 T not in progressive 不用进行式
Do you speak English?
你会说英语吗？
I don’t speak a word of French (=do not speak any French at all) .
我一句法语也不会说。
can/can’t speak sth
Several children in the class cannot speak English.
班上有几个小孩不会讲英语。
French-speaking/ltalian-speaking etc
a German-speaking secretary
会说德语的秘书
4
FORMAL SPEECH
正式演讲
to make a formal speech 演说，演讲; 发言 I
[+ at ]
Jones spoke at the teachers’ annual convention.
琼斯在教师年会上发言。
[+ to ]
She asked me to speak to her students about my work in marketing.
她请我给她的学生讲讲我的市场营销工作。
[+ in favour of/against ]
Only one MP spoke against the bill.
只有一位议会议员发言反对那项议案。
5
EXPRESS IDEAS/OPINIONS
表达想法/意见
to say something that expresses your ideas or opinions 表达，表明（观点或意见） I always + adv/prep
speak as a parent/teacher/democrat etc
He emphasized that he was speaking as a private citizen, not in any official capacity.
他强调，他是以公民的私人身份，而不是任何官方的身份在说话。
speak well/highly/ill of sb (say good or bad things about someone) 说某人的好话/对某人评价很高/说某人的坏话
Her co-workers spoke highly of her.
她的同事对她评价很高。
It’s wrong to speak ill of the dead.
说死者的坏话是不对的。
strictly/generally/roughly speaking (used when expressing an idea that you think is exactly true, generally true etc) 严格说来/一般说来/大致上说
Strictly speaking, it’s my money, not yours. I earned it.
严格说来，这是我的钱，不是你的。 是我挣来的。
6
so to speak
used when you are saying something in words that do not have their usual meaning 可以说〔用于所说的话不是平常的意思时〕
We have to pull down the barriers, so to speak, of poverty.
可以说，我们必须摧毁贫困的障碍。
7
speak your mind
to tell people exactly what you think, even if it offends them 说出心里话，直抒己见
He was a tough politician who wasn’t afraid to speak his mind.
他是个强硬的政治家，不怕说出自己的想法。
8
be not speaking/not be on speaking terms
if two people are not speaking, they do not talk to each other, usually because they have argued 彼此不说话/互不理睬〔一般因为吵过架〕
He was not on speaking terms with his brother or sisters.
他和兄弟姐妹互不说话。
9
speak volumes (about/for sth)
if something speaks volumes, it clearly shows the nature of something or the feelings of a person 充分证明，清楚表明（某事）
What you wear speaks volumes about you.
你的衣着会清楚地说明你是一个什么样的人。
10
speak with one voice
10. if a group of people speak with one voice, they all express the same opinion 众口一词，异口同声
On this issue, the 12 organizations spoke with one voice.
在这个问题上，这 12 个组织的意见是完全一致的。
11
speak the same language
11. if two people or groups speak the same language, they have similar attitudes and opinions 有共同语言〔表示两个人或团体的态度意见相近〕
12
speak out of turn
12. to say something when you do not have the right or authority to say it 说话鲁莽，讲话不合身份
13 to express the feelings, thoughts, or beliefs of a person or group of people 代表…讲话 （发言 ）
Dan, speaking for the students, started the meeting.
代表学生发言的丹主持会议开始。
14
speak for yourself
used to tell someone that you do not have the same opinion as they do, or that something that is true for them is not true for you [口] 你只代表你自己说话，那是你的看法〔用于表示不同意对方的意见〕 spoken
‘We don’t want to go.’ ‘Speak for yourself!’
“我们不想去。”“你是说你自己吧！”
15
be spoken for
if something or someone is spoken for, they have already been promised to someone else 已被预订; 被应许给别人
They’re all either married or spoken for.
他们全都要么结婚了，要么有对象了。
16
speak for itself/themselves
to show something very clearly 不言而喻，不辩自明
The results speak for themselves.
结果不辩自明。
17 to show clearly that something happened or exists [文] 表明，说明 literary
Her skin spoke of warm summer days spent in the sun.
她的皮肤说明了在太阳下度过的那些暖和夏日。
18
no … to speak of none/nothing to speak of
also 又作 very little of something or a very small thing 很少; 不值一提
There’s been no rain to speak of for several months.
好几个月都没下过什么像样的雨。
The house had no garden to speak of.
这栋房子没有一座像样的花园。
19 to publicly speak in protest about something, especially when protesting could be dangerous 公开反对〔尤指冒险表示抗议〕
[+ about/against ]
Five students who had spoken out against the regime were arrested.
公开反对该政权的五名学生遭逮捕。
20 to talk to someone who has done something wrong and tell them not to do it again 当面提醒，责备，告诫
Joe was late again today. You’ll have to speak to him.
乔今天又迟到了，你得说说他。
21 if something such as a poem, painting, or piece of music speaks to you, you like it because it expresses a particular meaning, quality, or feeling to you 对…有感染力; 对…有吸引力
Modern art just doesn’t speak to me.
现代艺术实在引不起我的共鸣。
22 used to ask someone to speak louder 大声点说，提高嗓门说〔用于要求别人〕
Could you speak up, please?
请你大声点说，好吗？
23 to say something, especially to express your opinion 说话〔尤指发表意见〕
There was a brief silence, then Gerald spoke up.
一阵短暂的沉默，然后杰拉尔德开始发表意见了。
24
speak up for sb
to speak in support of someone 替某人说话，支持某人
He is willing to speak up for the rights of women.
他愿意为妇女权利辩护。
25
talk speak talk speak
When one person is saying things, you can use or , but is more usual and slightly literary. 表示一个人说话，可用 talk 或 speak，但 talk 更常用，而 speak 略带文学色彩
She talked about her job.
她谈到自己的工作。
He spoke longingly of his home country.
他热切地谈起了自己的祖国。
Don’t interrupt me when I’m talking/speaking.
我在说话时别打断我。
26
talk
If people are having a conversation, always use . 如果人们是在交谈，那么一定要用 talk
We talked about our relationship.
我们谈了我们之间的关系。
They talked for hours.
他们交谈了很长时间。
27
are not speaking
If you say that two people , you mean they are not willing to talk to each other. 如果两个人 are not speaking，意思是说他们不愿意和对方讲话
They’ve had a row and they’re not speaking.
他们吵过一架，相互之间不说话。
28
talk
Someone who can has learned to use language. 某人会 talk 是指某人学会说话了
She could talk before she was two.
她两岁不到就会说话了。
29
speak
If you can , you are able to say something on a particular occasion. speak是指在某种场合说话
I was too scared to speak.
我吓得不敢说话。
30
speak
When you mention what language someone uses, always use . 说某人使用哪一种语言，一定要用 speak
She speaks (=knows how to use) French and Spanish.
她会说法语和西班牙语。
We spoke in German at first, then English.
我们起先说德语，后来说英语。
31
speak
When you ask for someone on the telephone, use . 当你在电话里找某人时，要说 speak
Can I speak to Clare?
请让克莱尔接电话好吗？
32
speak words talk
You can . Do not use . 可以用 speak words，不要用 talk
I spoke the words as clearly as I could.
我尽可能清晰地说出这些话。
33
talk sense talk nonsense
You can or . Do not use speak. 可以用 talk sense 或 talk nonsense，不要用 speak
I think she talks a lot of sense.
我觉得她讲话很在理。