---
title: speak — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «speak» in the school dictionary: To say words out loud; to talk. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/speak/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [S](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/) / speak

# speak

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, She, I, He, someone, baby · **What happens:** say, talk, know, use, give, have · **To what, where:** words, language, talk, conversation, French, English · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«speak» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 9 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [speak in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/speak.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To say words out loud; to talk.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:speak:m1:1
# text = To say words out loud; to talk.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	say	say	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	out	out	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	loud	loud	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	talk	talk	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | to-infinitive |  | words |  |  |  | loud *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **talk** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Speak clearly."

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:speak:m1e:1
# text = "Speak clearly."
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Speak	speak	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	clearly	clearly	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* *in a quote* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | clearly *property* | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To know and use a language.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:speak:m2:1
# text = To know and use a language.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	know	know	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	use	use	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	language	language	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **know** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **use** | infinitive |  | a language |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent language=Patient |

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"She speaks French."

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:speak:m2e:1
# text = "She speaks French."
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	speaks	speak	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	French	French	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* *in a quote* | present | She | French |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To give a talk.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:speak:m3:1
# text = To give a talk.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	give	give	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	talk	talk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | to-infinitive |  | a talk |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent talk=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"speak to the class".

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:speak:m3e:1
# text = "speak to the class".
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	speak	speak	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* *in a quote* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | to the class | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent to class=Co-Agent |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To have a conversation.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:speak:m4:1
# text = To have a conversation.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	have	have	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	conversation	conversation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | to-infinitive |  | a conversation |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent conversation=Patient |

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Can I speak to your mum?"

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:speak:m4e:1
# text = "Can I speak to your mum?"
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	speak	speak	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* *in a quote* | can | I |  |  |  |  | to your mum | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent to mum=Co-Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Please speak more slowly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:speak:x1:1
# text = Please speak more slowly.
1	Please	please	INTJ	UH	_	2	discourse	_	_
2	speak	speak	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	4	advmod	_	_
4	slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | slowly *property* | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He speaks English and Irish.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:speak:x2:1
# text = He speaks English and Irish.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	speaks	speak	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	English	English	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	Irish	Irish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | present | He | English |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Speak up if someone is bullying you.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:speak:x3:1
# text = Speak up if someone is bullying you.
1	Speak	speak	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	up	up	ADP	RP	_	1	compound:prt	_	_
3	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
4	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	bullying	bully	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	1	advcl	_	_
7	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak up** *speech: other* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn lecture-37.11-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **bully** *a condition, not said to happen* | present · progressive | someone |  | you |  |  |  | vn captain-29.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent you=Beneficiary |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
May I speak to your teacher?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:speak:x4:1
# text = May I speak to your teacher?
1	May	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	speak	speak	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | may | I |  |  |  |  | to your teacher | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent to teacher=Co-Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She spoke to the whole school.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:speak:x5:1
# text = She spoke to the whole school.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	spoke	speak	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | past | She |  |  |  |  | to the whole school | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent to school=Co-Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The baby can't speak yet.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:speak:x6:1
# text = The baby can't speak yet.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	ca	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
5	speak	speak	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	yet	yet	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **speak** *speech: other* | can | the baby |  |  |  | yet |  | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Speak quietly in the library.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:speak:x7:1
# text = Speak quietly in the library.
1	Speak	speak	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	quietly	quietly	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	library	library	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  | the library |  | quietly *property* | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Actions speak louder than words.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:speak:x8:1
# text = Actions speak louder than words.
1	Actions	action	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	speak	speak	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	louder	loud	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	2	xcomp	_	_
4	than	than	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | present | Actions |  |  |  |  | loud *property* | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Speak but one word to me."

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:speak:x9:1
# text = Speak but one word to me."
1	Speak	speak	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
3	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | imperative | you *not said here* |  | me |  |  |  | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent to i=Co-Agent |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [spayed](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spayed/)
- next →: [speaker](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/speaker/)
- ↑ back to [S in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/)