Mention vs Refer

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

Mention

Top 1,000 (very common) A2 verb

Refer

Top 5,000 (fairly common) A2 verb

Most common: Mention

	Mention	Refer
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/ˈmenʃn/","/ˈmenʃnz/","/ˈmenʃnd/","/ˈmenʃənɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈmenʃn/","/ˈmenʃnz/","/ˈmenʃnd/","/ˈmenʃənɪŋ/"]/	🇬🇧 //rɪˈfɜːr// 🇺🇸 //rɪˈfɜr//
Meaning	To talk about something briefly.	to mention or talk about something
Example	Please mention your favorite books in the discussion.	Please refer to the guide for more information.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 5,000 (fairly common)
CEFR level	A2	A2
Part of speech	verb	verb
Collocations	already, earlier, just, not bother to, fail to, forget to, as, in, in connection with, avoid mentioning somebody/​something, be worth mentioning something, mentioned above	refer to, refer back, refer someone to, commonly referred, frequently refer
Antonyms	ignore, overlook, disregard	ignore, overlook
Common mistakes	Using it without specifying the object, e.g., 'I mention' instead of 'I mention the topic.', Confusing 'mention' with 'tell' when it comes to conveying information., Using 'mention' in contexts where 'suggest' or 'advise' would be more appropriate.	Confusing 'refer' with 'suggest' which has different usage., Using 'refer' without specifying what is being referred to., Incorrectly using 'refer' in passive voice.
Usage notes	Used in both spoken and written contexts. It can be used formally or informally. Be careful not to confuse it with 'discuss' which implies a deeper conversation.	Use 'refer to' when pointing to something specific, often followed by a noun or pronoun. Avoid using it without mentioning what you are referring to.

See it in real clips

The Lord Of The Rings › The Fellowship Of The Ring

I bet they don't mention his fireworks.

Sherlock › S1 E1

Oh, perhaps I should mention - Ididn't kill her.

Mention it. Don't insist.

The Lord Of The Rings › The Fellowship Of The Ring

I bet they don't mention his fireworks.

Sherlock › S1 E1

Oh, perhaps I should mention - Ididn't kill her.

Mention

Frequently asked questions: Mention vs Refer

What's the difference between Mention and Refer?

Mention: To talk about something briefly. Refer: to mention or talk about something

Which is more common: Mention and Refer?

Mention is the most common in everyday English.

Are Mention and Refer the same CEFR level?

Mention: A2, Refer: A2 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Mention and Refer?

Mention: verb, Refer: verb.

Can you show an example of each?

Mention: Please mention your favorite books in the discussion. Refer: Please refer to the guide for more information.

Can I use Mention and Refer interchangeably?

Not always. Mention and Refer 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.