Phrasal verb
speak to sb
Definition
phrasal verb. To say words to someone, either in a conversation or to give them information.
phrasal verb. To address a person verbally. This construction is often used for one-way communication or in more formal contexts than the near-synonym 'talk to'.
Examples
“I need to speak to the manager.”
“She waited after class because she wanted to speak to the professor about her grade.”
“The ambassador requested a private audience to speak to the foreign minister directly, hoping to de-escalate the burgeoning international crisis.”
Examples
simple
“I need to speak to the manager.”
contextual
“She waited after class because she wanted to speak to the professor about her grade.”
complex
“The ambassador requested a private audience to speak to the foreign minister directly, hoping to de-escalate the burgeoning international crisis.”
Usage
'Speak with' is a common alternative, often implying a more two-sided conversation, especially in American English.
Teaching tip
Contrast 'speak to' (often one-way/formal) with 'talk to' (informal/conversational) and 'speak with' (two-way exchange, common in AmE).
Pitfall
I need to speak the manager.
I need to speak to the manager.
The verb 'speak' requires the preposition 'to' or 'with' before the person being addressed.
Phrasal verb
Particles
to
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
speak + to + object