* sagen: This is the most common and general translation of "say," used for simply stating something. "He said hello" would be "Er sagte Hallo."
* sprechen: This means "to speak" or "to talk," implying a longer conversation or more formal speech. It's less precise than "sagen" for simply stating something briefly.
* meinen: This translates to "to mean" or "to intend," implying the speaker's intention behind what they're saying. "What do you mean?" would be "Was meinst du?"
* erzählen: This means "to tell" or "to narrate," used for telling a story or recounting an event.
* äussern: This is a more formal word meaning "to express" or "to utter."
To choose the right word, consider what kind of "saying" is happening. Provide a sentence with "say" and I can give you a more accurate German translation.