Difference between say and says

Answer 1

say is used when you talk about yourself,

for example I SAY

when you talk about other people, however you say: SHE SAYS, HE SAYS

which later leads to the past tense of SAID. HE SAID, SHE SAID, I SAID

Answer 2

"say" is a very generic verb that can be used for almost any situation. Generally, "tell" is used to show that someone initiated a change in topic. You tell a story. It shows you prompted the discussion, as opposed to saying a response.

I told you a story.

You said the story was boring.

Tell/told is really only appropriate when you're presenting some form of information. You CAN "tell someone 'Hello'" but generally you SAY "Hello"

When in doubt, use say/said.

Answer 3

"Say" is used for plural subjects or as a verb in the infinitive form, while "says" is used for singular subjects in the present tense. For example, "They say it is raining" versus "He says it is raining."