happen to tell

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "happen to tell" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when you want to express a casual or chance occurrence of someone providing information or telling something. Example: "If you happen to tell me your plans for the weekend, I might be able to join you."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

From business models to biodiversity we find the best examples of how businesses are responding to sustainability challenges and we get the people who are making it happen to tell you how they're doing it.

The Guardian

I just happen to tell it.

Huffington Post

They are complex objects that just happen to tell time.

Huffington Post

Why don't you bow before the almighty grandeur of the "markets," fine fiction that they are, and do whatever they happen to tell you at a given moment?

Huffington Post

But it didn't dawn on me how absolutely brilliant and phenomenal my grandmother was until someone would happen to tell me about her accomplishments she kept hidden from me.

Huffington Post

How is it possible that you are here now having dinner at my house and I just happen to tell that story?" We both just shook our heads and laughed.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

"I don't know what happened, to tell you the truth," Wallace said.

The New York Times - Sports

Amber happened to tell her teacher how scary it was being home alone after dark.

The New York Times - Magazine

"It was fair to say I had little interest in chemical engineering, and I happened to tell that to my faculty adviser," he recalled.

The New Yorker

"My son was a bellboy here and he happened to tell Mr. Steinbrenner that he was going to night school to become a teacher," she said.

The New York Times

He said Mr. Tankleff was fearful and quoted him saying that "if anything happens" to tell the police everything.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "happen to tell" to convey a sense of spontaneity or lack of premeditation in sharing information. It's suitable when the act of telling wasn't planned or expected.

Common error

Avoid using "happen to tell" in formal writing where a more direct and intentional phrasing would be more appropriate. In business or academic writing, opt for phrases like "mentioned" or "disclosed" for clarity and professionalism.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "happen to tell" functions as a verb phrase, indicating the act of communicating information in a casual or incidental manner. As Ludwig AI suggests, it conveys a sense of spontaneity.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Wiki

21%

Science

14%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

7%

Formal & Business

7%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "happen to tell" is a grammatically sound and relatively common way to describe the incidental sharing of information. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is most frequently found in news and media contexts. While appropriate for general use, it's best to avoid it in highly formal or professional writing, where more direct language may be preferred. Alternatives such as "mention incidentally" or "casually disclose" may be suitable substitutions depending on the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

mention incidentally

Replaces "happen to" with "incidentally", focusing on the casual nature of the mention.

casually disclose

Emphasizes the informality of the disclosure, using "casually" instead of "happen to".

reveal by chance

Highlights the accidental nature of the revelation, swapping "happen to tell" with "reveal by chance".

let slip

Implies an unintentional revelation of information, differing slightly in connotation from "happen to tell".

divulge unintentionally

Focuses on the lack of intention in divulging the information, replacing "happen to tell" with "divulge unintentionally".

chance to mention

Swaps the act of telling with just mentioning. Indicates an opportunity to mention something.

bring up in passing

Suggests a brief and casual introduction of a topic, a more subtle form of telling.

relay in passing

Very similar to bring up in passing

intimate unexpectedly

Suggests an unusual or surprising hint

remark casually

Focuses on the laid back nature of sharing information. Suggests something short and sweet

FAQs

How can I use "happen to tell" in a sentence?

You can use "happen to tell" to indicate that someone shared information casually or without specific intention. For example, "If you "happen to tell" me what you're planning, I might be able to help."

What's a good alternative to "happen to tell"?

Alternatives include "mention incidentally", "casually disclose", or "reveal by chance" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it grammatically correct to say "happen to tell"?

Yes, "happen to tell" is grammatically correct and commonly used in English. It indicates a chance or incidental sharing of information.

What's the difference between "happen to tell" and "tell"?

"Tell" is a general term for conveying information. "Happen to tell" implies that the telling was somewhat accidental or unplanned. It adds a layer of chance or spontaneity that "tell" alone doesn't convey.