Discuss the family business vs Talk about

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Discuss the family business

Top 2,000 (common)

Talk about

Top 1,000 (very common)
Most common: Talk about
 Discuss the family businessTalk about
Pronunciation🇬🇧 //dɪsˈkʌs ðə ˈfæmɪli ˈbɪznɪs//🇺🇸 //dɪsˈkʌs ðə ˈfæmɪli ˈbɪznəs//🇬🇧 //tɔːk əˈbaʊt//🇺🇸 //tɔk əˈbaʊt//
MeaningTalk about the family's company or work.to discuss a topic
ExampleWe need to **discuss the family business** during our meetings.We should talk about our plans for the weekend.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 2,000 (common)Top 1,000 (very common)
Collocationshave a meeting to discuss the family business, decide how to discuss the family business, plan to discuss the family businesstalk about a topic, talk about feelings, talk about issues
Antonyms-keep quiet, ignore, avoid
Common mistakesUsing 'discuss about' instead of just 'discuss'., 'Discussing' as a noun, instead of using it as a verb.Confused with 'speak about' which is slightly more formal., Using it without an object, e.g., saying 'talk about' instead of 'talk about something'.
Usage notesUse this phrase when referring to conversations about a family's entrepreneurial activities. It's appropriate in both professional and personal contexts.Used in everyday conversations and suitable for most contexts. Avoid in very formal writing.

See it in real clips

Discuss the family business
Talk about

Frequently asked questions: Discuss the family business vs Talk about

What's the difference between Discuss the family business and Talk about?

Discuss the family business: Talk about the family's company or work. Talk about: to discuss a topic

Which is more common: Discuss the family business and Talk about?

Talk about is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Discuss the family business: We need to **discuss the family business** during our meetings. Talk about: We should talk about our plans for the weekend.

Can I use Discuss the family business and Talk about interchangeably?

Not always. Discuss the family business and Talk about 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.

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