AAAmerican Accent US

talk back

No object

This verb takes no object at all.

How to say it

Stress the particle, not the verb: talk BACK. Saying “TALK back” is the clearest learner tell — the verb stays light and the particle carries the beat.

Do not release the /k/. Before the consonant of “back” the stop is held and swallowed rather than popped — the same unreleased-stop move as in hot dog. One smooth unit: “talk back”.

What it means

  1. To reply rudely to someone in authority.

    • “Don't talk back to your teacher.”

    Similar: answer back

The particle logic

back

Something returns to where it was, or is held in reserve.

Listen + practice

Hear “talk back” spoken naturally

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Read the sentence aloud. Keep the stress on the particle and run the two words together — we’ll score every sound and flag what to work on.

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More TALK phrasal verbs

Compare the whole family →

talk into

To persuade someone to do something.

talk out of

To persuade someone not to do something.

talk over

To discuss something thoroughly before deciding.

talk down to

To speak to someone as if they were less intelligent.

talk back — meaning, examples & how to say it