Talk about vs Talk of

Many people are confused by these two phrases.

But don’t worry. The explanation is very simple.

Both “talk about” and “talk of” mean exactly the same thing: to have a conversation about something.

However, they are not used in the same way.

To learn more, read on.

Talk about (something)

“Talk about” has a simple meaning: to have a conversation about something.

When you “talk about” something, you are saying words to someone in order to share information or discuss a topic.

“Talk of” has exactly the same meaning: to have a conversation about something.

However, the way we use these two phrases is slightly different, depending on the context.

“Talk of” is a formal expression.

“Talk of” is an old-fashioned way of saying “talk about”.

Because of that, it is often used in contexts involving people living in the past, for example, in a book or a movie set in medieval times.

It can also be used in literary contexts.

The King and his advisors talked of many things. (= medieval king)
The Lord talked of salvation and atonement. (= religious context)
I must beg you not to talk of the sea. It makes me envious and miserable; I who have never seen it! (= old-fashioned, literary)

Consider the yellow box below.

Some people use both “talk about” and “talk of” interchangeably, regardless of the context.

The rules laid out in this article still apply, but do not be surprised if you ever hear “talk of” used in an informal, modern context.

“Talk of” may be old-fashioned and slightly unusual, but for a lot of people it will still sound OK.

When in doubt, you can always fall back on “talk about” which is more common.

“Talk about” is the usual, neutral way of saying that you are having a conversation about something.
“Talk of” has the same meaning, but is usually only used in formal or literary contexts.