Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "言います" vs "伝える"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
言います
いいます (iimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
伝える
つたえる (tsutaeru)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 言います and 伝える are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
言います (いいます (iimasu)) represents "to say, to tell" (Level: N5) and typically represents Polite form of 言う.
On the other hand, 伝える (つたえる (tsutaeru)) translates to "to convey, to transmit, to tell (a message)" (Level: N4) and is used for A transitive verb. Used when passing on information or a message to someone.. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "言います"
先生にありがとうと言います。
I say thank you to the teacher.
Bilingual Sentence for "伝える"
彼のメッセージを彼女に伝えます。
I will convey his message to her.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "先生にありがとうと ＿＿＿ 。" (Meaning: "I say thank you to the teacher.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "言います" fits here because it represents "to say, to tell" in the context: "I say thank you to the teacher.".