# talk about sb/sth

CEFR A1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/talk-about-sb-sth
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

To say things about a particular subject or person.

For teachers: A transitive prepositional verb meaning to discuss a particular subject, person, or situation.

## Examples

- Let's talk about the plan for the weekend.
- At the meeting, they will talk about the new budget for next year.
- The novel talks about the profound psychological impact of war on soldiers returning to a world they no longer recognize.

## Pitfalls

- Not "We talked the movie." but "We talked about the movie." — The preposition 'about' is required to introduce the topic of the conversation.

## Usage notes

- The object following 'about' is the topic of the conversation.
- Teaching tip: Contrast with 'talk to' (specifies the listener) and 'talk with' (implies a two-way conversation); 'talk about' specifies the topic.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.