Cool MateWe discussed this vs We talked about this
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
We discussed this
Top 2,000 (common)
We talked about this
Top 1,000 (very common)
Most common: We talked about this
| We discussed this | We talked about this | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //wi dɪsˈkʌst ðɪs//🇺🇸 //wi dɪsˈkʌst ðɪs// | 🇬🇧 //wiː tɔːkt əˈbaʊt ðɪs//🇺🇸 //wi tɑkt əˈbaʊt ðɪs// |
| Meaning | We talked about this. | We discussed this before. |
| Example | We discussed this in our last meeting. | We talked about this last week, remember? |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| Collocations | discuss this topic, discuss this matter, discuss this further, discuss this issue, discuss this point | we talked about this before, we talked about this yesterday, we talked about this in detail |
| Antonyms | - | We ignored this, We avoided this, We stayed silent about this |
| Common mistakes | Using 'discuss' without a subject or object., Confusing 'discuss' with 'talk about' in informal contexts., Forgetting to provide context if said in isolation. | Using 'talk' instead of 'talked' incorrectly., Confusing with 'we have talked about this'., Omitting 'about' and saying 'we talked this'. |
| Usage notes | Use in casual or formal conversations. Works well to summarize previous conversations. Be mindful of the audience when discussing sensitive topics. | Use this phrase when referring to previous conversations. It's suitable in casual and professional contexts but may be less effective in formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: We discussed this vs We talked about this
What's the difference between We discussed this and We talked about this?
We discussed this: We talked about this. We talked about this: We discussed this before.
Which is more common: We discussed this and We talked about this?
We talked about this is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
We discussed this: We discussed this in our last meeting. We talked about this: We talked about this last week, remember?
Can I use We discussed this and We talked about this interchangeably?
Not always. We discussed this and We talked about this are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.