What is the real meaning of "tell" in this sentence?
I'm reading a book, and i saw a sentence as follows:
"It is quite easy to tell someone to be confident, and I am definitely not the first one to advocate confidence in the life."
i'm not sure about the phrase 'It is quite easy to tell someone to be confident". i think there are 2 ways to understand this phrase:
1. It is quite easy to say to someone that he/she should be confident person.
2. It is quite easy to know/realize someone who are confident.
Is 1 way or 2 way correct? can you help me to understand it?

Question

What is the real meaning of "tell" in this sentence?
I'm reading a book, and i saw a sentence as follows:
"It is quite easy to tell someone to be confident, and I am definitely not the first one to advocate  confidence in the life."
i'm not sure about the phrase 'It is quite easy to tell someone to be confident". i think there are 2 ways to understand this phrase:
1. It is quite easy to say to someone that he/she should be confident person.
2. It is quite easy to know/realize someone who are confident.
Is 1 way or 2 way correct? can you help me to understand it?

Answer

There's only one meaning: "It is quite easy to say to someone that he/she should be a confident person."

You need to focus on the structure of the complete sentence, not just the definition.

to tell [someone] (that) [something] = to give information verbally
to tell [someone] [to do something] = to give a command/instruction
to tell (that) [something] = to know, based on evidence

Answer

Tell means to say something to someone. In this case tell something to someone is talking about giving advice, you want the person to hear it and apply the words you "tell" them.

Answer

It's the first one. Otherwise, that'll be something like "It's quite easy to tell someone (that) they're confident"

Não perca a oportunidade de aprender uma língua no conforto da sua casa. Navegue pela nossa seleção de professores de línguas experientes e inscreva-se na sua primeira aula agora mesmo!