To say and to tell in Danish - at sige eller at fortælle
Sige is describing transactions in dialogues: Uttering, expressing, giving opinions, or instructing. Sige is focused on the persons communicating and their relation.
Fortælle is describing a sharing of information or stories. Fortælle has it's focus on the world outside or on the story.
As you'll see under 3) below, the Danish concepts do not always match the English to say and to tell.
Sige:
1) If you focus on the mere sound or act of uttering, the right word will be sige:
Tak, sagde han. (Thanks, he said).
2) If you describe expression of an opinion, you use sige: Han siger, at hans kæreste er smuk. (He says, that his girlfriend is beautiful). Han siger, det er en film for idioter. (He says, that it's a movie for morons.)
3) If you describe giving an instruction or even an order, you use sige: Han sagde, de skulle gå hjem. (He told them to go home.) Sig til Peter, han ikke må spise hele kagen. (Tell Peter not to eat the whole cake). Kan du sige mig, hvordan jeg finder Hovedbanegården? (Could you tell me how to find The Central Station?)
Fortælle:
1) To share information or know how. Han fortalte mig, hvordan man børstede tænder på en alligator. (He told me how to brush an alligator's teeth). Læreren fortalte os, at der er ca. 21 % ilt i atmosfæren. The teacher told us, that the atmosphere is 21 % oxygen)
2) To entertain by telling a story, joke or riddle: Han fortalte vittigheden om nonnen og sømanden. (He told the joke about the nun and the sailor.)
Choose a form of sige or fortælle in the drop down-menu