The verb “speak” is versatile and commonly used in English. It can be combined with various words to form idioms, phrasal verbs, and collocations, each with distinct meanings. Here are 30 different ways to use “speak,” along with their meanings and examples.
Speak up
Talk louder.
Please speak up; I can’t hear you.
Speak out
Express one’s opinion openly.
She decided to speak out against injustice.
Speak for
Represent someone.
He will speak for the entire team.
Speak to
Address someone.
I need to speak to the manager.
Speak with
Have a conversation with.
She wants to speak with her friend.
Speak of
Mention something.
They often speak of their travels.
Speak on
Talk about a specific topic.
She will speak on climate change.
Speak in
Use a specific language.
He can speak in Spanish fluently.
Speak at
Address someone harshly.
Don’t speak at me like that!
Speak over
Interrupt someone.
He tends to speak over others.
Speak your mind
Say what you think.
She always speaks her mind.
Speak volumes
Convey a lot of information.
His silence speaks volumes.
Speak the same language
Understand each other well.
They speak the same language at work.
Speak highly of
Praise someone or something.
They speak highly of her skills.
Speak ill of
Criticize someone.
Don’t speak ill of others.
Speak for itself
Be self-explanatory.
Her work speaks for itself.
Speak in tongues
Speak in an unknown language.
Some people can speak in tongues.
Speak truth to power
Confront authority with honesty.
He spoke truth to power fearlessly.
Speak off the cuff
Speak spontaneously.
He can speak off the cuff well.
Speak from the heart
Talk sincerely.
She always speaks from the heart.
Speak up for
Defend someone.
He spoke up for his friend.
Speak down to
Talk condescendingly.
Don’t speak down to your coworkers.
Speak out of turn
Speak inappropriately.
She spoke out of turn in class.
Speak freely
Talk openly without restraint.
Feel free to speak freely here.
Speak a mile a minute
Talk very quickly.
She can speak a mile a minute.
Speak with one voice
Agree unanimously.
The team spoke with one voice.
Speak sense
Talk reasonably.
He always speaks sense in meetings.
Speak nonsense
Talk absurdly.
He tends to speak nonsense sometimes.
Speak eloquently
Talk in a persuasive manner.
She can speak eloquently on stage.
Speak kindly
Talk in a kind manner.
Always speak kindly to others.
