told
- 01 A1 Beginner
the past form of 'tell', used when you gave someone information or instructions.
the simple past and past participle of 'tell', used to report speech or information provided to a recipient.
Simple“She told me the news as soon as she arrived at the office.”
In context“The witness told the jury a consistent story, though the prosecutor remained skeptical of the finer details.”
UsageTakes a direct personal object without 'to'.
PitfallHe told to me the secret. He told me the secret.The verb 'tell' is followed directly by the person you are speaking to; do not use the preposition 'to'.
Synonyms
From Middle English tolde, talde (first and third person singular preterite), from Old English tealde (first and third person singular preterite), from Proto-Germanic talid-, preterite stem of Proto-Germanic taljaną (“to count; tell”), equivalent to tell + -ed.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.