IN CONVERSATION 在会话中[I always + adv/prep] to talk to someone about something

谈话，交谈:

[+ to ] I spoke to her last Wednesday.

上星期三我和她谈过了。

'Hello, may I speak to Jim Smith?' 'Yes, speaking.' (=used on the telephone)

“喂，请让吉姆·史密斯听电话好吗？”“喂，我就是。”

I know her by sight, but not to speak to (=not well enough to talk to her).

我只是认得她，但没跟她说过话。

speak to sb about sth I haven't spoken to Steve about all this.

我还没跟史蒂夫谈过此事。

[+ with ] especially AmE : They did not want to speak with reporters.

他们不想和记者说话。

[+ of ] It was the first time she had ever spoken of marriage.

那是她头一次谈及婚姻问题。

SAY WORDS 说话[I] to use your voice to produce words

说话，讲话:

I was so shocked I couldn't speak.

我震惊得说不出话来。

He spoke very softly (=quietly).

他说话声音非常轻柔。

LANGUAGE 语言[T not in progressive 不用进行式] to be able to talk in a particular language

会说，会讲〔某种语言〕:

Do you speak English?

你会说英语吗？

I don't speak a word of French (=do not speak any French at all).

我一句法语也不会说。

can/can't speak sth Several children in the class cannot speak English.

班上有几个小孩不会讲英语。

French-speaking/ltalian-speaking etc a German-speaking secretary

会说德语的秘书

FORMAL SPEECH 正式演讲[I] to make a formal speech

演说，演讲; 发言:

[+ at ] Jones spoke at the teachers' annual convention.

琼斯在教师年会上发言。

[+ to ] She asked me to speak to her students about my work in marketing.

她请我给她的学生讲讲我的市场营销工作。

[+ in favour of/against ] Only one MP spoke against the bill.

只有一位议会议员发言反对那项议案。

EXPRESS IDEAS/OPINIONS 表达想法/意见[I always + adv/prep] to say something that expresses your ideas or opinions

表达，表明（观点或意见）:

speak as a parent/teacher/democrat etc He emphasized that he was speaking as a private citizen, not in any official capacity.

他强调，他是以公民的私人身份，而不是任何官方的身份在说话。

speak well/highly/ill of sb (=say good or bad things about someone)

说某人的好话/对某人评价很高/说某人的坏话

Her co-workers spoke highly of her.

她的同事对她评价很高。

It's wrong to speak ill of the dead.

说死者的坏话是不对的。

strictly/generally/roughly speaking (=used when expressing an idea that you think is exactly true, generally true etc)

严格说来/一般说来/大致上说

Strictly speaking, it's my money, not yours. I earned it.

严格说来，这是我的钱，不是你的。 是我挣来的。

so to speak used when you are saying something in words that do not have their usual meaning

可以说〔用于所说的话不是平常的意思时〕:

We have to pull down the barriers, so to speak, of poverty.

可以说，我们必须摧毁贫困的障碍。

speak your mind to tell people exactly what you think, even if it offends them

说出心里话，直抒己见:

He was a tough politician who wasn't afraid to speak his mind.

他是个强硬的政治家，不怕说出自己的想法。

be not speaking/not be on speaking terms if two people are not speaking, they do not talk to each other, usually because they have argued

彼此不说话/互不理睬〔一般因为吵过架〕:

He was not on speaking terms with his brother or sisters.

他和兄弟姐妹互不说话。

speak volumes (about/for sth) if something speaks volumes, it clearly shows the nature of something or the feelings of a person

充分证明，清楚表明（某事）:

What you wear speaks volumes about you.

你的衣着会清楚地说明你是一个什么样的人。

speak with one voice if a group of people speak with one voice, they all express the same opinion

众口一词，异口同声:

On this issue, the 12 organizations spoke with one voice.

在这个问题上，这 12 个组织的意见是完全一致的。

speak the same language if two people or groups speak the same language, they have similar attitudes and opinions

有共同语言〔表示两个人或团体的态度意见相近〕

speak out of turn to say something when you do not have the right or authority to say it

说话鲁莽，讲话不合身份