Difference between Speak and Talk

The words speak and ‘talk’ is frequently misused in the English language. Most people believe that ‘speak’ and ‘talk’ can be used interchangeably.
This article will explain the differences in the meanings and usage of these two verbs.

Table Summarizing the Difference between Speak and Talk

	Speak	Talk
Meaning	The term ‘speak’ means to vocalize one’s thoughts/feelings.	The term ‘talk’ means to converse. It also means conversation.
Usage	It is used as a verb.	It is used both as a noun and a verb.
Example	The teacher asked the student to speak up.	My friend gave me a little pep talk as I was feeling down.

Meanings of the words Speak and Talk

Understanding the meanings of the words ‘speak‘ and ‘talk‘ is one way to differentiate them. While the former refers to someone saying something, the latter refers to informing someone about something, conversing with someone, or expressing one’s ideas to someone else. The word ‘talk’ can also be used as a noun to refer to a conversation or discussion.

Examine the examples below to better understand how the two verbs are used.